ARRL EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS SECTION
Section Manager (SM) – Tom Walsh, K1TW
Assistant Section Manager (ASM) – Phil Temples, K9HI
Affiliated Club Coordinator (ACC) – Arthur “Bo” Budinger, WA1QYM
Official Observer Coordinator (OOC) – Ed Parish, K1EP
Public Information Coordinator (PIC) – Bob Salow, WA1IDA
Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) – Marek Kozubal, KB1NCG
Section Traffic Manager (STM) – Marcia Forde, KW1U
Section Youth Coordinator (SYC) – Jeremy Breef-Pilz, KB1REQ
State Government Liaison (SGL) – Hank Mc Carl, W4RIG
Technical Coordinator (TC) – Dan Brown, W1DAN
To contact a section staff member simply address an email to their call
sign at arrl.net or visit http://ema.arrl.org for additional contact
information.
OCTOBER 2015 SECTION NEWS
First, there is a correction to the EMA SEPTEMBER 2015 NEWS. Thanks to
Mike N1EVH who writes “The contact person for this year’s Head of
the Charles Regatta is Jeff Arnold, K1EMS. Jeff can be reached at
<aleppo2010@comcast.net> and I believe he can also be reached at
<wx1pbd@gmail.com>“
The “Head of the Charles Regatta” is seeking amateur volunteers.
The three-day event is one of the largest public service events in New
England, held October 16-18, 2015 along the Charles River in Cambridge
and Boston. To volunteer, contact Jeff Arnold, K1EMS at
<aleppo2010@comcast.net>
EMA STAFF NEWS
Affiliated Club Coordinator (ACC) – Bo Budinger, WA1QYM
At the July meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors, the board directed
ARRL HQ to issue one of the League’s new SSC pennants to each Special
Service Club (SSC). Bo, WA1QYM, reports there are four Special Service
Clubs (SSCs) in the EMA section eligible to receive these pennants.
They are: Cape Ann ARA (CAARA), Barnstable ARC (BARC), PART of
Westford, and Nashoba Valley ARC (NVARC). Bo is following up to make
sure each SSC gets its distinctive League pennant. And a request to all
EMA affiliated clubs to please keep WA1QYM well informed about changes
in club contact and leadership positions.
Section Traffic Manager (STM) – Marcia Forde, KW1U
Marcia reports that Ralph Devlin, N1LAH from Wayland has accepted the
role of Net Manager and is helping to re-activate the 75 meter
“Massachusetts Rhode Island Phone Net” (MARIPN).
The exciting MARIPN Net Announcement follows:
We are very happy to announce, that, beginning Tuesday, October 6, we
are re-instating the Massachusetts Rhode Island Phone Net, MARIPN. The
net will meet on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 1800 hours local
time. The net frequency will be 3978 kHz, plus or minus to avoid QRM.
The primary purpose of the net is NTS traffic. Once any traffic has
been disposed time will be set aside for general round table and
information sharing. Please spread the word. We hope that there will
be enough interest to warrant continuation of this net.
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
1800 local time
3978 kHz, plus or minus
September BPL (EMA):
None
September PSHR (EMA):
KW1U, KC1CIC, N1IQI, N1TF, N1LAH, N1LKJ, AC7RB
State Government Liaison (SGL) – Hank McCarl, W4RIG
The Massachusetts Legislature is looking into cell phone legislation
that could result in banning hand held cell phones while driving. Hank
McCarl, W4RIG, ARRL SGL for the EMA section will be keeping an eye on
developments.
FLEA MARKETS
October 16-17, 2015 :
Deerfield, NH
NEAR-Fest
<http://www.near-fest.com:8084/nearfest/>
October 18, 2015:
Cambridge, MA
Flea at MIT, Third Sunday April thru October
October 18, 2015
Nutmeg Hamfest and CT ARRL State Convention
Meriden, CT
Details at <http://www.nutmeghamfest.com/>
November 14, 2015
FARAFest
Falmouth Amateur Radio Association
Bourne, MA
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/farafest-4 >
UPCOMING LICENSE CLASS
October 24, 2015
Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association (CAARA) is running a “Tech in a
Day” session in Gloucester on October 24th. Anyone interested can
contact Stan, W4HIX at <techinaday@caara.net>. Registration is
required.
NEWS
The Whitman ARC members held their annual flea market-fundraiser at the
Knights of Columbus on September 26-27.
North Shore RA’s KB1LPW is organizing a shirt sale on behalf of NSRA
members. The polo shirts and tee shirts will feature the club’s
distinctive logo.
PART of Westford member W1IS reported that he and other members held a
demonstration of Amateur Radio at the Hobbyland store in Stow on
September 26.
Algonquin ARC members provided logistical support for the recent
Marlborough-Hudson household hazardous material collection day on
October 3.
Cape Ann ARA has greatly improved its APRS coverage in Gloucester,
according to CAARA’s W4HIX. Says Stan, “KA1BTK was running
‘tail’ on Boston’s Wounded Veteran’s Road Race on [October 3].
Our two digipeaters provided very good coverage for Gardi’s
bike-mounted rig.” The club is also looking for an additional QTH
with internet connectivity and room for a two meter antenna so that
they can improve coverage toward Rockport.
The Harvard Wireless Association participated in the 50th running of
the California QSO Party on the weekend of October 3-4 racking up 169
Q’s, hopefully enough to qualify for the Gold Rush commemorative
award. Participating operators were President, KK4UHK Douglas Maggs,
Vice-President, KG5HEW, Saahil Mehta, and Bill Collins, W1PL.
The October 4 Boston Globe ran a very complementary story about SKYWARN
volunteers. The online version can be viewed at
<http://tinyurl.com/nddbkqv>.
Then, later in the month, Fox25 TV talked by phone with Rob Macedo,
KD1CY, from SKYWARN about severe weather in the area on October 9.
The Nashoba Valley ARC will conduct a W1QSL incoming card sorting party
at its October 15 meeting. NVARC meets each third Thursday of the month
in the first floor of the Community Center in Pepperell.
The Boston ARC will present David Capone, President of Capone
Communications in Norfolk at its guest speaker on October 15 at 7:30
PM. BARC meets at the Brookline police headquarters, 350 Washington
Street, Brookline.
The “Head of the Charles Regatta” is seeking amateur volunteers.
The three-day event is one of the largest public service events in New
England, held October 16-18, 2015 along the Charles River in Cambridge
and Boston. To volunteer, contact Jeff Arnold, K1EMS at
<aleppo2010@comcast.net>
Framingham ARA’s Scholarship Chairman Richard Cosma, AA1VI, recently
announced the winner of the FARA Scholarship: Gail Bello. Ms. Bello
attends the University of Maine in Farmington.
Members of the Framingham ARA are conducting a demonstration at the
Natick Community Senior Center on Friday, October 16 at 2:00 PM and
Saturday, October 17 at 9:00 AM. According to FARA’s W1HAI, the
Friday demo will include a presentation on the history of Amateur
Radio, the number of ways to communicate, how to get started, talk on
the air and answer questions. FARA’s Saturday morning segment will
coincide with the 58th Jamboree on the Air.
Algonquin ARC’s WB6VVA is helping to organize a JOTA operation on
October 17. “The local Boy Scout council has asked for our club’s
support. The club officers agreed this would be a worthwhile activity
to be engaged in.” Skip has met with scout leaders at the council’s
camp and he says the club has agreed to provide two HF stations and one
VHF/UHF station at BSA’s Resolute Scout Reservation just off Route 85 in
Bolton. The club conducted a “dry run” at the site on October 3. So
far, five AARC members have volunteered.
Speaking of JOTA, the Framingham ARA has been asked again to host a
JOTA event at the club’s shack. W1FY will be QRV with Boy Scout Troop
54 of Brookline. Says FARA’s W1VIV: “If there are any scouts in your
family who would like to participate, bring them down.”
The Lowell CERT Communications Team will assist Lowell EMA and the
Lowell Fire Department with communications for the Baystate Marathon
and Half Marathon on October 18. If you can help, contact Terry, KA8SCP
via PART of Westford.
Harvard Wireless Club’s recent VE session was a huge success, reports
W1AF Station Manager Bill Collins, W1PL. “I would like to congratulate
our President, Douglas Maggs, KK4UHK, and new HWC member Saahil Mehta,
KG5HEW.” Both individuals passed their General Class license exams.
The Algonquin ARA is looking for volunteers to support this year’s
Halloween School Watch. The club dispatches members to district schools
from 7pm to 11pm. Contact Skip, WB6VVA, President
PART of Westford members will participate in an annual Pumpkin Patrol
on Halloween Night, October 31, in Westford. The group will provide
additional eyes and ear around cemeteries and around public buildings
in the town. Net control station will be set up at the Westford police
headquarters.
It’s been a very busy time for public service activities across the
section, and especially on Cape Ann. CAARA’s KA1BTK reminds club
members: “We still have the YuKanRun Stache Halfe one-mile and Halfe
Marathon in Ipswich on November 1, the Merrython 2.62-mile and Half
Merrython in Gloucester on December 6, as well as supporting NSRA at
the Gloucester Downtown Christmas Parade on November 29.”
From the “Déjà Vu Department”: Jack, W1WEF writes on the YCCC
reflector: “The other day I thought I’d see what music I could find
on FM in the car. I usually listen to XM. I scanned and the first
station I came across had a familiar call sign but I knew I never
listened to it before. WRTC!”
SILENT KEYS
Members from PART of Westford report the sad news on the passing of
long time member Gustave (Gus) Fallgren, W1OG, of Chelmsford on
September 28, 2015.
Members from the Billerica ARS (BARS) report the sad news on the
passing of Pat Couture, formerly N1CKN, on October 8, 2015. Pat was a
very active member of BARS during the 1980s and ’90s and served as
president.
LOOKING AHEAD
Please send items of news and club activities for inclusion the section
news by the first of each month.
Acknowledgement:
Thanks once again to Phil Temples, K9HI, Assistant Section Manager
(ASM) for his help in preparing this month’s news.
73,
Tom K1TW
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ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section
Section Manager: Thomas D Walsh, K1TW
k1tw@arrl.org
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