Month: October 2003

W1AI wrote:

To all Eastern Massachusetts amateur radio enthusiasts:

You probably know that we’ve been introducing amateur radio to thousands of scouts every year during their visits to the USS Salem. This program is currently at a turning point, and you can help us decide its future.

Over the years, the program has been held together primarily by a small, core group of volunteers that keep coming back to work with the scouts week after week. This core group constantly changes over time. As volunteers become unavailable, for instance because they move away or change jobs, we’ve always been lucky that new volunteers show up to take their place.

Unfortunately, I have recently lost 3 core volunteers, and 2 others have commitments that force them to cut back on their participation. As a result we will not be able to continue this project unless some new people get involved.
So I ask you: Do you think the world is a better place because many thousands of scouts have learned about amateur radio due to our efforts over the past few years? Is this program worth continuing?

And I also ask you: Is this program important enough that you, personally, are willing to become involved?

The work is demanding, but also highly rewarding. I usually leave the ship feeling exhausted, but happy, energized, and looking forward to coming back the following week.

One part of the program involves giving 30-minute presentations on amateur radio to 6 different groups of kids. This can be quite demanding, as you have to vary your presentation to fit each group. The kids vary in age from 6 to 22. Groups vary in size from 10 to 30 kids, plus their accompanying adults. Some groups are boys, others are girls. Some groups are quiet, some are talkative, and some are just plain rowdy. Some groups are disinterested, some are enthralled. By the time you finish giving the presentation 6 times in 3 hours, working to keep them interested and get them excited, you are exhausted. Yet still, somehow, you are looking forward to coming back next weekend to do it all over again!

The other part of the program involves giving “hands on” demos to 6 groups of kids, either on HF or 2M/IRLP. You exercise your technical understanding of radio, your operating skills, your knowledge of the regulations (bands, identification, third party, etc.), plus your skill at working with kids — all at the same time! You have to know how to encourage mike-shy kids to talk on the air, know when to back off and let them just listen, have a repertoire of questions to suggest to the kids for asking over the air, monitor every word that is said on the air, and remember to give your call sign at least once in every 10 minutes. It’s challenging, it’s exhausting, and it’s every bit as much fun as Field Day!

All that having been said, you do not need any specific skills or experience to participate. We will show you the ropes! We encourage you to watch a “pro” for a while, and then jump in for some on-the-job training when you’re ready. For the presenters, I have a sample script that you can follow to whatever degree you wish, or you can develop your own presentation.

The program generally runs from 3pm till 6pm on most Saturday afternoons. While I do not require any long-term commitments, I do need to know a couple of days in advance who’s going to be there each weekend. I have to make sure that we have enough volunteers each week, or else we have to cancel, and the ship has to find other activities for the scouts that weekend.

Exhausting. Fun. Demanding. Energizing. Addictive. Does this sound good to you?

All activities are coordinated via email. I have a mailing list that I use to let people know what’s going on and to recruit volunteers each week. The list is low volume, typically 2-3 messages per week. The list is private, so you only get messages written or approved by me. You don’t see any useless replies to replies to replies. The email addresses on the list are private, so they cannot be farmed by spammers.

If you want to help, please send me an email. I will add you to my email list. Then when I send out a request for volunteers for a specific weekend, let me know that you are coming. I will make sure to have experienced volunteers there to help you get started.

There’s one other thing that you can do to help me. If you are a member of a club, please make sure that this message is seen by every member of your club! We need their help, too!

Thanks!

JC, W1AI
USS Salem K1USN Radio Club scouting program volunteer coordinator
W1AI@hamtestonline.com
www.hamtestonline.com

New England Area   Ham - Electronic  Flea Market  ***  DATES  *** 2003 P 1 of 2

All events are Ham Radio/ Electronic related except ~_____~

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2003                                                    Contact          Source

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3,4 Oct Hopkinton NH HossTraders @FG x7 I89           Joe K1RQG 207 469 3492 W

5 Oct Queens NY HallofSciARC $5@9 $10/S          Stephen WB2KDG 718 898 5599 F
11 Oct Nashua NH NE Antique RC $5@8 $1@9 @ StStan's Hall    Joe 978 343 5726 F
11 Oct Lake Placid NY NNYARA NNY Conv                Tom WB2KLD 518 827 4800 A
12 Oct Wallingford CT Nutmeg Conv $7@9 $20/S@6     Andrew N1XXU 203 235 8440 F
18 Oct Kingston NS GARC @Comm Ctr $2@10 S@8           Guy VE1NC 902 825 6151 R+
19 October         Flea at MIT                             Nick 617 253 3776 F

                Third Sunday April thru October                               
25 Oct Waterford CT TriCityARC Auction               Tom WA@RYV 860 464 6555  
25,26 Oct Waltham MA Photographica @HS ~photo~ +fri auction  Ed 617 965 0807  
2 Nov Framingham MA FARA @Walsh MS $5@9 $15/T@7:30    Bev N1LOO 508 626 2012  +
7 Nov Feeding Hills MA HCRA Auction @7PM @FHCngCrch    Jim KK1W 413 245 3228  
15 Nov Newtonville MA WARA+1200 Auction $2@10@MasonH Eliot W1MJ 617 484 1089  
6 Dec Windsor CT VintgeR Museum @33MechanicsSt $1@9$15/T@8 John 860 673 0518

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LAST UPDATE 10-2-03 de W1GSL  http://mit.edu/w1gsl/Public/ne-fleas    P 1 of 2

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Additions/ Corrections via e-Mail   w1gsl@mit.edu

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2004                                                    Contact          Source

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-

22 Feb Hicksville NY LIMARC @LevitHall $6@9 $25/T@8  Diane K2DO 631 286 7562 W+
27,28 Mar Timonium MD GBARC @FG                      Doug N3VEJ 410 256 0257 F+
18 April Cambridge MA        FLEA at MIT                   Nick 617 253 3776 F+

                Third Sunday April thru October                               
24 April Southington CT SARA @HS         105766     Alex KB7HCO 860 214 3013  +
30 Ap, 1 May Hopkinton NH HossTraders @FG x7 I89      Joe K1RQG 207 469 3492  +
16 May Cambridge MA          FLEA at MIT                   Nick 617 253 3776 F+
20 June Cambridge MA         FLEA at MIT                   Nick 617 253 3776 F+
18 July Cambridge MA         FLEA at MIT                   Nick 617 253 3776 F+
15 August Cambridge MA       FLEA at MIT                   Nick 617 253 3776 F+
11 Sept BallstonSpa NY SCRACES fri6P $5+5/T+15cmp Darlene N2XQG 518 587 2385  +
18 Sept Forestdale RI RIFMRS @VFW rt146 8A flea+auct Rick K1KYI 401 725 7507  +
19 September Cambridge MA    FLEA at MIT                   Nick 617 253 3776 F+
17 Octber Cambridge MA       FLEA at MIT                   Nick 617 253 3776 F+

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LAST UPDATE 10-2-03 de W1GSL                                         P 2 of 2

   List is normally updated twice a month - look for the latest version

Source    F= Flyer  T= tentative early info     + = new info this month

          A= ARRL R= RAC list D= W1DL W= web M= W1JTH  WR NV 73 CQ QST = Mags

This list has been compiled from many sources.  While we believe the info to

be accurate the author can not be responsible for changes or errors.

Check with the sponsoring organizations for more details.   This list will be

posted monthly to USENET.     Mailed copies are sent when additions are made.

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Additions/ Corrections via e-Mail   w1gsl@mit.edu   ***

Page 3 Electronic distribution only.  This page has the overflow if any    P3

from the paper version.

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2004                                                    Contact          Source

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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LAST UPDATE 10-2-03 de W1GSL                                             P 3

   List is normally updated twice a month - look for the latest version

Additions/ Corrections via Internet  w1gsl@mit.edu

                           US Mail  W1GSL POB 397082 MIT Br Cambridge MA 02139

(c)2003 W1GSL                                 SASE for updated copy as issued.

unlimited reproduction permitted in entirety

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                             73 Steve F

                                W1GSL
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New England Area  Ham - Electronic  Flea Market  ***  DATES  ***     P4

Links to New England Hamfest Web Sites                (c) 2003 W1GSL

***********************************************************************

This section is only included in the electronic distribution.
Cambridge MA    Flea at MIT     http://www.swapfest.us                      +
Hopkinton NH    Hosstraders     http://www.qsl.net/k1rqg/
Amherst MA      Mt. Tom ARC     http://www.mtara.org/hamfest/flea.html
Adams MA	N BerkshireARC	http://www.nobarc.org/hamfest                 
Boxborough MA   NE ARRL Conv    http://www.boxboro.org/
Framingham MA	FARA		http://www.fara.org/                          
Newton MA       Waltham ARA Auction    http://www.wara64.org/auction/
S Dartmouth MA  SEMARA          http://www.semara.org/flea/fleamkt.htm       +
Whately MA	FranklinCARC 	http://www.fcarc.org/flea.html                
Enfield CT      VHF/UHF Conf    http://www.newsvhf.com                       +
Southington CT  SARA            http://www.chetbacon.com/sara.htm
Wallingford CT  Nutmeg CT Conv  http://www.qsl.net/nutmeghamfest/
Lewiston ME     AARC		http://www.dlois.com/mainearrl/convent.htm
Portland ME     PAWA            http://www.qsl.net/pawa/fleamarket.html       +
Henniker NH     CVRC            http://www.qsl.net/k1bke/                     +
Bergen NJ	BARA		http://www.bara.org/
Lake Placid NY  NNY ARA	        http://www.geocities.com/nnyara/
Lindenhurst NY  ToB ARES 	http://www.tobares.org/hamfest.html           +
Long Island NY  LIMARC          http://www.limarc.org/fest.htm                +
Massapequa NY   GSB ARA	        http://www.gsbarc.org/flyermay03.pdf          +
Queens NY       Hall of Science http://www.qsl.net/hosarc/hamfest.html
Rochester NY 	AWA		http://www.antiquewireless.org/
Greenwich RI    Fidelity ARC    http://users.ids.net/~newsm/dates.html
Essex Junction VT   Burlington ARC  http://www.vtstetson.net/fest02.pdf
Milton VT       RANV VT Conv    http://www.ranv.org/milton.html
Montreal PQ     MARC            http://www.marc.qc.ca/fest.html
Montreal PQ	WIARC		http://www.pubnix.net/wiarc/hamfest.htm       
Sorel-Tracy PQ  CRAS-T		http://www.hamfest.qc.ca/                     
St Therese PQ	CRALL		http://www.ve2crl.qc.ca/hamfest2002.htm       
Canada          RAC List   http://rac.eton.ca/data/racfleas.taf?function=form
Phila. Area	VARA List	http://www.qsl.net/w2vtm/hamfest.html         +
USA             ARRL List       http://www.arrl.org/hamfests.html

		

Ralph Swick, KD1SM writes:

The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio club is offering a 10-week class that provides all the information needed to prepare for the FCC written test to obtain a Ham license. The course is open to all, including pre-teens with good reading comprehension. The class is being offered October 7. The charge of $22 includes the class textbook, with full details of the FCC exam.

Register through Janie Marshall of Pepperell Recreation by phone at 978-433-0324, or by email at recreation@town.pepperell.ma.us . If you are interested in finding out more information about the course or about the Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club, contact Stan Pozerski at 978-433-5090.