Month: February 2004

EMA Section Manager K9HI has today appointed Ed Parish, K1EP as the section’s Technical Coordinator. Parish replaces Greg Richardson, N1QLS who stepped down from the TC position earlier this month due to increased work responsibilities.

Ed Parish was first licensed as WA2SCA in the early 70’s. He holds an Amateur Extra license and is a Life Member of the ARRL, a former Vice President of the Boston (MA) Amateur Radio Club and current treasurer of the Yankee Clipper Contest Club.

In the early 70’s, Ed built his first receiver and transmitter, the venerable Heathkit HR-10B and DX-60B and was on the air mostly on CW from his parent’s basement. While earning Electrical Engineering degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York in the mid-70’s, Ed became quite active in the club, serving as an officer as well as participating in many VHF contesting activities. Those activities continue today, as Ed is a 6M operator from the W2SZ/1 VHF contesting station from Mt. Greylock, MA in June and September. In the last decade, Ed has also become active in HF contesting, participating in numerous domestic and international contests.

A resident of North Reading, MA, K1EP is a hardware engineering consultant specializing in networking, RF, and microcontroller design.

“I’m especially pleased to have someone of Ed’s caliber join us on the Eastern Mass. ARRL staff,” remarked Phil Temples, K9HI. “Ed is a well-rounded amateur. He has extensive on-air contesting and public service communications experience, as well as the technical know-how that qualifies him to address a wide range of technical matters from 160-meters to microwave.”

The Council of Eastern Massachusetts Amateur Radio Clubs will hold its next meeting on Saturday, March 13, 2004 from 0900-1300 at the Marlborough Emergency Operations Center (Central Fire Station), 215 Maple Street (Route 85) in Marlborough. Algonquin Amateur Radio Club is the host organization for this meeting. AARC will provide the morning coffee and donuts, and a pizza lunch.

“Since this is the first meeting of the year, all clubs are requested to have at least one delegate in attendance,” noted Eastern Mass. Affiliated Club Coordinator Frank Murphy, N1DHW. “Remember that any club member is welcome to attend and participate in discussions at CEMARC meetings; but only one vote to a club on any voting issues.”

A preliminary list of agenda items, a request for additions, and directions to the EOC are on the CEMARC Web Page at: http://www.qsl.net/cemarc. Questions? Send email to n1dhw@ema.arrl.org.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Metro-Boston District:

Mark Duff, Metro-Boston DEC writes;

On Saturday Feb 21st, the Eastern Mass ARES staff will be conducting it’s annual winter Simulated Emergency Test (SET). The goal of the test is to simulate a winter storm driven, large scale, long term power outage. This is an ideal exercise to participate from your home. The exercise will begin at 1000am and end sometime after 1200pm local time.

Please tune to your local RACES 2M repeater frequency and/or to 146.64 to participate.

All ARES members and interested amateurs are invited and encourage to participate.

The events of August 2003 which plunged much of the eastern part of the country into darkness has once again illustrated our vulnerability to massive power outages and the many problems associated with loss of power. It also once again bought out the importance of amateur radio communications.

Additional information on ARES and the exercise is available on the Eastern Mass ARES WEB Site http://ares.ema.arrl.org

You may also I-Mail [me] directly if you have any further questions [at] emgmgt@comcast.net

CCARES District:

Please click on the CCARES Plan to see details of the exercise in that district.

South Shore/Bristol District:

Please click on the Southeast Massachusetts ARES Drill Plan to see details of the exercise in that district.

Middlesex District:

Please click on the Middlesex ARES Drill Plan to see details of the exercise in that district.

North Shore (Essex) District:

Please follow directions as laid out for the Metro Boston district above, and please guard RACES repeaters assignned to you during the exercise.

The Framingham Amateur Radio Association will hold its annual License In A Weekend class March 12-14 at the FARA radio room in the basement of the Danforth Museum Building on Lexington Street, Framingham. The class will prepare candidates for the entry level Technician class license. A $35 fee includes text, lunch, and the FCC examination fee.

For more information, call 508-879-8097 or 508-881-2301 or visit http://www.fara.org/liaw04.html.

Batteries? You Got ’em, Now Use ’em Right

Batteries in your radio; batteries in your car; batteries in your phone. Why one kind and not another? When you need them, you want to depend on them. You want to get the best out of them.

Leo Burke, KA1LN knows, and he will share the practical and safe points at the Boston Amateur Radio Club’s February General meeting. He will tell us about the proper charging of several types and how to make sure that they are ready in an emergency. Leo will also let us in on the future of packaged power.

The BARC General meeting is this Thursday, 19 February at the Salvation Army HQ in Boston, starting at 1900. Parking is free in a private secure lot next to the SA Building. Directions, a map and other details can be found on the club web site.

Note: Late arrivals (after 7:15) need to call on
the talk-in frequency to have the gate opened.

Talk-in is on the BARC repeater: 145.23- 88.5

The FCC today agreed yesterday to go forward with a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) on the subject of Broadband over Power Line (BPL). The NPRM is the next step in the BPL proceeding, which began last April with a Notice of Inquiry that attracted more than 5100 comments–many from the amateur community.

League President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, expressed disappointment with the FCC’s decision. “I had hoped the FCC would have shown a greater depth of understanding of the issue.” [Full story]

Section Manager Phil Temples, K9HI today accepted the resignation of section Technical Coordinator Greg Richardson, N1QLS.

“Greg’s workload has increased to the point where he feels he can no longer serve in this capacity. I understand and appeciate his position,” remarked K9HI. “I want to warmly thank Greg for his service as the Eastern Massachusetts TC for the past 16 months.”

A 35-year veteran of the electronics industry, Richardson is the Communications Supervisor for the Boston Fire Department, and a member of several public safety frequency coordinating committees. N1QLS is an active member of the Mystic Valley Amateur Radio Group; he also serves as 440 MHz band coordinator for the New England Spectrum Management Council.

Larry Coyle, K1QW of Needham, MA is the author of, “An Automatic Audio Volume Leveler” appearing in the February, 2004 issue of QST. Coyle’s article addresses the subpar performance of automatic gain controls of receivers and suggests practical solutions.

—Thanks, Wellesley ARS Sparkgap, February 2004

Mark Duff, KB1EKN writes:

The Eastern Mass ARES staff will be conducting its annual winter Simulated Emergency Test (SET). The goal of the test is to simulate a winter storm-driven, large scale, long-term power outage. This is an ideal exercise to participate from your home. The exercise will begin at 1000 a.m. and end sometime after 1200 p.m. local time.

Please tune to your local RACES 2M repeater frequency and/or to 146.64 to participate.

All ARES members and interested amateurs are invited and encourage to participate.

The events of August, 2003 which plunged much of the eastern part of the country into darkness has once again illustrated our vulnerability to massive power outages and the many problems associated with loss of power. It also once again bought out the importance of amateur radio communications.

Additional information on ARES and the exercise is available on the Eastern Mass ARES web site at
http://ares.ema.arrl.org.

You may also email me directly if you have any further questions to: emgmgt@comcast.net.

Mark Duff, KB1EKN
Metro-Boston DEC

The Harvard Wireless Club is using a low-technology approach to “get the word out” to potential hams and club members: paper handouts. HWC president Paul Schultz, KC8RXT will soon submit copy prepared by club member Dave Smith, K1XQ for distribution by the university in all undergraduate dining hall tables. —Thanks, N1QZY

Members of the USS Cassin Young Amateur Radio Club (WW2DD) held their first official meeting recently. Those attending the Saturday, February 7, 2004 meeting were: W1QWT, KB6YNO, Bob Quinn, NS1N, K1WCC, KC1HO. The USS Cassin Young ARC’s next meeting is April 10; the club plans to hold meetings every other month.

The historic destroyer is situated next to the USS Constitution in the Old Boston Navy Yard in Charlestown. The Cassin Young’s World War II call sign was NTTH; its tactical call sign was “CLINKER”. For more information on the club, visit the USS Cassin Young ARC web site at: http://www.qsl.net/ww2dd/.

Shown here are: (L) K1WCC; (R) KB6YNO. Photos courtesy W1QWT

The Framingham ARA’s station, W1FY at the Danforth Museum on Lexington Street is a busy place these days. The club holds regular Saturday morning get-togethers. Shown here: the station; some of the FARA gang: (L-R) WA1HAM, W1NXC, N1LOO, W1WMN, W1OSY, W1VIV, N1FTB. Photos courtesy WA1HAM

William O’Hara, KB1IUB writes:

“I am looking for donations of practice oscillators
for the Morse Code Class. If anyone is willing
to donate a key, please mail it to me (KB1IUB)
or K1RV. Everyone’s help is appreciated. Thank you.”

—
William H. O’Hara, III – www.billohara.com
KB1IUB = WA1NPO/W1MV/WC1EOC/K1USN
RAILFAN = IC/CN/CP/GTS/CSX/NS/MBTA