ARRL EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS SECTION STAFF
Section Manager (SM) – Tom Walsh, K1TW
Assistant Section Manager (ASM) – Phil Temples, K9HI
Assistant Section Manager (ASM) – Andy Stewart, KB1OIQ
Assistant Section Manager (ASM) – Rob Leiden, K1UI
Affiliated Club Coordinator (ACC) – Andy Stewart, KB1OIQ
Official Observer Coordinator (OOC) – Ed Parish, K1EP
Public Information Coordinator (PIC) – Joe Weisse, W1HAI
Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) – Marek Kozubal, KB1NCG
Assistant SEC (ASEC) – Rob Macedo, KD1CY
Assistant SEC (ASEC) – Mike Leger N1YLQ
Section Traffic Manager (STM) – Marcia Forde, KW1U
Assistant STM (ASTM) – Greg Bennett, KC1CIC
Section Youth Coordinator (SYC) – Jeremy Breef-Pilz, KB1REQ
State Government Liaison (SGL) – Hank Mc Carl, W4RIG
Technical Coordinator (TC) – Dan Brown, W1DAN
HOW TO CONTACT EMA STAFF MEMBERS:
To contact section staff members directly simply visit http://ema.arrl.org for contact information.
SECTION NEWS UPDATES
For the latest updates to section news please check our website regularly at http://ema.arrl.org
HOW TO BECOME AN EMA FIELD VOLUNTEER
To apply for an ARRL field appointment read about the different roles on the ARRL web site at http://www.arrl.org/field-organization . If interested, contact k1tw@arrl.org
EVENTS:
JAN/FEB 2017:
Genesis ARS (GARS) PC 101 training course
Offered on the 1st and 3rd Saturday mornings;
9:30-12 noon at the Middleboro Public Library, Middleboro, MA;
Offered on the 1st and 3rd Saturday mornings;
Bring your own PC. There is a large room with electricity and tables;
Bring an extension cord and any cables you will require for your PC;
Cost: Genesis Members and significant other = $10.00;
Non-Genesis members = $15.00;
Enroll now by email: <kg1ugars@gmail.com> or <w1akn@arrl.net>
January 21, 2017,
Whitman Amateur Radio Club Winter-Fest Ham-Fest
Whitman, MA. http://www.wa1npo.org/WinterFest2017.pdf
February 18, 2017
Algonquin ARC <httP://www.n1em.org>
Marlboro, MA
June 2-4, 2017
Museum Ships on the Air (MSOTA) weekend
0000Z June 2 through 2359Z June 4
Find further information at http://ema.arrl.org/node/2186
NEWS from section staff members
Section Manager Travels:
I am distributing the November section news a bit late because of travel to South Korea from November 10-25. I wanted to ensure putting together a high quality monthly news and I hope you agree it was worth taking the extra time following my return.
Urgent Request: Last Call to support Amateur Radio Parity Act:
The ARRL is making a final urgent request for all amateurs to contact our US Senators to support the Amateur Radio Parity Act. ARRL says “Urging your US Senators’ support is simple: Go to our Rally Congress page, enter your ZIP code, fill in your name and address, press enter, and e-mails will go directly to your Senators. Members may do this even if they have already contacted their US Senators for support.” More information is found at https://arrl.rallycongress.net/
New Affiliated Club Coordinator (ACC) for the EMA section:
Please welcome Andy Stewart, KB1OIQ as our section Affiliated Club Coordinator. Andy has already done a lot for the Eastern Massachusetts Amateur Radio community. Andy is President of the PART of Westford which is an ARRL Special Service Club, and is serving as an Assistant Section Manager. For the past year or so, as an ASM Andy has worked very closely with our retiring ACC, Bo WA1QYM, so he is well positioned to step right into this new role. My thanks go out to Andy for filling this very important position. This would be a great time for club Officers–especially club presidents–to get in touch with Andy on a regular basis if you’re not doing so already.
Section Traffic Report from Marcia, KW1U (EMA STM)
October BPL: N1IQI, KW1U
October PSHR: KW1U, N1IQI, KC1CIC, N1LAH, N1TF, AC7RB
Note: BPL = 500 or more points earned, PSHR = 70 or more points earned. Information on how to qualify for BPL and PSHR is found each month in QST in the Field Organization Reports column.
Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant FEMA Graded Exercise:
Our SEC staff reports that on Wednesday, November 16, the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant FEMA graded exercise was held. Amateur Radio operators associated with RACES and ARES participated in the exercise from the MEMA Region Two Headquarters and from various town EOCs including: Carver, Marshfield, Bridgewater and Taunton. The Amateur Radio operators provided communications over multiple communications paths, including Amateur Radio, the DNN/Entergy Inform system, Beacons and MEMA VHF systems. The exercise is conducted every few years to test the communication response plans in the Evacuation Path Zones (EPZs) and the reception center communities outside of the EPZs. By all accounts, the exercise went well. (Information from Rob Macedo KD1CY (ASEC) and Mike Leger N1YLQ (ASEC)).
October Flash Flood Event Prompts SKYWARN Activation:
Further news from Rob, KD1CY (ASEC) that on October 21, WX1BOX, the Amateur Radio station at NWS Taunton was pressed into service on short notice as significant flash flooding affected the City of Worcester and surrounding communities and spread into interior Northeast Massachusetts. Rainfall amounts of 3-5″ in just a couple of hours were recorded, and despite recent drought conditions, this resulted in significant urban and poor drainage flooding in several communities. Hardest hit was the City of Worcester with 5.20″ of rain. Most of that rain fell in just a couple of hours. Over a dozen Amateur Radio operators in the City of Worcester alone provided flash flooding reports, with additional Amateur Radio operators providing reports from other parts of Northeast Massachusetts. Media outlets acknowledged the rapid reporting by Amateur Radio SKYWARN spotters over social media and thanked the team for the efforts and the rapid response. (Information from Rob Macedo KD1CY, ASEC)
News from EMA clubs and individual amateurs:
K1USN did a special activation to celebrate Veterans Day on Friday, November 11. <http://www.k1usn.com>. (Information per Pi, K1RV/K1USN)
Massasoit Amateur Radio Association (MARA):
MARA will host W1BSA on the USS Massachusetts in a remembrance of the Birthday of Scouting, which occurs in February. However, the actual event will occur in warmer weather. On April 22, 2017, Earth day, they will be operating from the Ward Room Annex for the third year. MARA / USNR clubs will be on the USS Massachusetts throughout the summer set up on the deck. Check http://www.NE1PL.org for dates. USNR (Uncommon Service to Nautical Radio) hosts events on the Battleship next to turret three on the aft starboard side. (Information per Rick, KB1TEE)
Falmouth ARA:
The Falmouth Amateur Radio Association (FARA) will sponsor another 2-meter QSO Party in January. The first of these was held in 2010 and was well received. The event is open to all those in Eastern MA. The time coincides with the ARRL VHF contest. (Information per Jim, WA1GPO).
Special Event Station W1P:
Henry, K1WCC operated the W1P special event on Friday November 25 to commemorate the loss of the Steamship Portland in 1898 off Cape Ann, MA with the loss of 200 lives. This has been an annual event since 2005. If you worked W1P, QSL to K1WCC with a standard-size SASE. (Information from Falmouth Amateur Radio Association)
Barnstable ARC:
The results of BARC elections are as follows:
President: Mark Petruzzi WA1EXA; Vice President: Jon McCambie N1ILZ;
Treasurer: Mark Avery N1ZPO; Secretary: Ronald Pfieffer, W2CTX.
The Board of Directors will be: Mark Petruzzi WA1EXA; Jon McCambie
N1ILZ; Mark Avery N1ZPO; Ronald Pfieffer W2CTX; Frank O’Laughlin,
WQ1O (Cape Cod ARES); Chris Thompson KB1ZAM; Ed Lejoie W1MA; Barry
Hutchinson KB1TLR; Russell Apgar K1RTA. Congratulations to all those
elected. (Information from Barry, KB1TLR).
North Shore Radio Association (NSRA):
NSRA will hold its Holiday Dinner and Yankee swap on December 12 at 6:30 PM.
PART of WESTFORD
The PART Winter Holiday Dinner is scheduled for Tuesday, December 20. Contact Hugh, N1QGE for further information.
Andy, KB1OIQ, PART President writes: “I thoroughly enjoyed helping a relatively new ham in our club (PART) while he got his first HF station on the air. I tested his rig at my house, and his antenna and tuner with my antenna analyzer. It all looked good! I showed him how to call CQ but nobody answered. The first couple of nights, he made no contacts, but he tried on his own. After realizing that his antenna connections weren’t the best, and after correcting that situation, he quickly contacted Florida and then France! He accidentally created a small pileup when he admitted on the air that these were his very first HF contacts. He was so excited!”
QRA
QRA congratulates member Don Melanson, KA1MAP. Don passed his Extra exam on November 9, 2016 at a session in Chelmsford. QRA is in its 68th year of operation and invites folks to join their 2-meter net on Tuesdays at 7:30 PM, on 147.075. More information is found at http://www.w1ekt.org. (Information per Bob, AA1M)
Wellesley ARS (WARS)
Wolfgang, KB1OTR was the featured speaker at the WARS November 15 meeting. He spoke on the current state of emergency communications.
Minuteman Repeater Association (MMRA):
Andy, KB1OIQ presented “Linux in the Hamshack” at the MMRA membership meeting on November 16, 2016 at the Holiday Inn in Boxborough, Massachusetts. (Information per David, KG1H).
Billerica ARS
The December 7 meeting of BARS will feature two “Show and Tell” presentations. Eric, WB1HBU will present a talk on the “SDR Play” and Jay, AI1EE will present a talk on “The new Kenwood TH-D74 HT.” BARS will hold its annual holiday dinner on the first Wednesday in January when everything seems just a little calmer and it’s a nice way to start the new year.
DX:
Dennis, W1UE reports via the YCCC reflector he operated from HS0ZIA on November 16, 2016. Dennis made other operating stops in Asia during CQWW.
SILENT KEYS
We have received sad news that Marc Cadoff, K1HLP of Norwell MA passed away on November 8, 2016. (Information per Pi, K1RV)
YCCC reports that Dana, K1RQ became a silent key on November 18, 2016. Dana was one of the founders of the YCCC. (Information via the YCCC reflector)
FINAL WORD
To all in the Eastern Massachusetts section, our wishes for a wonderful and joyous holiday season and a very Happy New Year!
73,
Tom, K1TW
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ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section
Section Manager: Thomas D Walsh, K1TW
k1tw@arrl.org
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