Month: October 2005

The Whitman Amateur Radio Club has produced a special edition of its newsletter, The Spectrum, highlighting Amateur Radio emergency communications efforts during the recent Whittenton Pond Dam threat in Taunton.

[See also: Whittenton Pond Dam On the Mill River In Taunton ARES/RACES SitReps
#1, #2, #3, #4, and #5.]

Bill Hayden, N1FRE is conducting a Technician Class study group at the Whitman Emergency Operation Center in the Whitman Fire Station on Wednesday nights. The students will be ready to take the Technician Class license test in November.

Of the nine students actively participating in the license study course, eight are graduates of the Whitman Emergency Management Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) course conducted by the Town of Whitman last year.

(See also: Whitman Team Participates in Hurricane Drill)

—Thanks, Whitman ARC Spectrum, October 2005

Bruce Alexander, KA1IG writes:

Yes, as the subject indicates, the North Attleborough Santa Parade is not far away. The Downtown Associates of North Attleborough, DANA, have again contacted me, to contact you, asking that we assist in staging this year’s Santa Parade. This year, as in years past, it will be held the Sunday following Thanksgiving.

The parade is due to step off at 3pm, and will travel down North Washington, to South Washington Streets. We are requested to be at the St. Mary’s parking lot between 1:30 and 2 pm. We should be clear by 3:45 pm.

We have assisted with this parade for many years, and it’s a fun event. We are truly appreciated, as DANA folks believe that we really run the parade, and I don’t tell them otherwise?

Room will be made for everyone, I would like at least 12 operators. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact me by phone at (508) 643-0008, 447.975 MHz, or 147.195 MHz, ka1ig@verizon.net.

We always have a good time, even in the cold, sometimes snow, etc.

Thanks in advance for your help.

A dozen Amateur Radio operators continue to be active in the City of Taunton due to the potential collapse of Whittenton Pond Dam on the Mill River in Taunton Massachusetts. There is the potential for further requests for ARES/RACES assistance within the Eastern Massachusetts section to deploy in small numbers.

The dam situation has stabilized to some extent but there remains a significant threat for the dam to breach and flood portions of the city of Taunton. After conditions on the dam got worse overnight, there has been no further degradation of the dam but there remains significant vibration of the dam and damage to wooden stanchion at the bottom is suspected with the wood structure totally rotted away providing a lack of support for the dam to hold up. It remains unclear whether the dam will collapse but a significant risk of the dam collapsing remains. [Full story]

New England Area   Ham - Electronic  Flea Market  ***  DATES  *** 2005 P 1 of 2

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

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2005                                                    Contact          Source

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

22 Oct Montreal PQ MSSARC $5@9 $10/T@6           Georges VE2GXE 450 922 8352 R

23 Oct Lindenhurst NY TOBARES @KoC $6@9 $25/T@7   Walter KA2RGI 631 957 0218 W
29 Oct Waterford CT TCARC Auction @OswegatchieSch@10 Tom WA@RYV 860 464 6555  +
4 Nov Feeding Hills MA HCRA Auction @CongCh @6:30PM    Jim KK1W 413 245 3228  
5 Nov Londonderry NH IRS @Lions Club $10@7 $3@9       Paul K1NL 603 883 3308 F
  Nov Framingham MA  ** Cancelled **  see March 26 2006   Gordy K1GB          +
12 Nov E Falmouth MA FARA @KoC $3@9 $9/S@7           Jim WA1GPO 508 548 6405 F
19,20 Nov Watertown MA Photographica ~photo~            Ed Shaw 617 965 0807  +
3 Dec Windsor CT VintgeR Museum @8AM @115 Pierson Ln       John 860 673 0518 W

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2006                                                    Contact          Source

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

18 Feb Marlborough MA AARC @IntermSch $20/T@7 $5@9   Ann KA1PON 508 481 4988 F+
25 Feb Milton VT RANV @HS $5@8AM $10@6:30            Mitch W1SJ 802 879 6589 T
18 Mar Pomfret CT ECARA @CommSch Rt101+169 $2@8 $10/TPaul KE1LI 860 928 2456 T
26 Mar Framingham MA FARA                            Gordy K1GB               +
16 Apr Cambridge MA          FLEA at MIT                   Nick 617 253 3776  +

                Third Sunday April thru October                               
5,6 May Hopkinton NH HossTraders @FG x7 I89           Joe K1RQG 207 469 3492 T+
21 May Cambridge MA          FLEA at MIT                   Nick 617 253 3776  + 
2-4 June Rochester NY RARA @FG                      Harold K2HC 585 424 7184 A+ 
10-11 June Newington CT NARL @HS  $20/T@5 $8@8:45     Dan K3UFG 860 206 3379 T+
18 June Cambridge MA         FLEA at MIT                   Nick 617 253 3776  +
20 Aug Cambridge MA          FLEA at MIT                   Nick 617 253 3776  +

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LAST UPDATE 10-16-05 de W1GSL                                             P 1

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

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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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2006                                                    Contact          Source

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

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LAST UPDATE 10-16-05 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)2005 W1GSL   http://www.swapfwst.us        SASE for updated copy as issued.

unlimited reproduction permitted in entirety

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

Links to New England Hamfest Web Sites                (c) 2005 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                       
Newington CT 	NARL 		http://www.narl.net/1.htm
Southington CT  SARA            http://www.chetbacon.com/sara.htm
Wallingford CT  Nutmeg CT Conv  http://www.nutmeghamfest.com                 
Windsor CT      Vintage R Mus   http://www.NationalCommunicationsMuseum.org/  
Lewiston ME     AARC		http://www.mainearrl.org/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.northnet.org/nnyham/hamfest_flyer2004.htm 
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/          
Queens NY       Hall of Science http://hosarc.org/hamfest.html               
Rensselaer NY   E Greenbush ARA http://www.com-tech.org/EGARA.html            
Rochester NY 	AWA		http://www.antiquewireless.org/
Rochester NY    RARA            http://www.rochesterhamfest.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
Drummondville PQ  leCRdeD	http://www.9bit.qc.ca/ve2crd/hamfest/index.html
Montreal PQ     MARC            http://www.marc.qc.ca/fest/fest.html        
Montreal PQ	WIARC		http://www.pubnix.net/wiarc/hamfest.htm       
Montreal PQ     MS-SARC         http://www.ve2clm.ca/hamfesta.htm
Sorel-Tracy PQ  CRAS-T		http://www.hamfest.qc.ca/                     
Summerside PEI  SPARC		http://www.summersidearc.com/fleamarket.htm  +
St Therese PQ	CRALL		http://www.ve2crl.qc.ca/hamfest2002.htm       
Halafax NS 	HARC            http://www.halifax-arc.org/
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

		

Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club members conducted a health-and-safety net over the Columbus Day weekend for the Pepperell Annual Fall Classic Soccer Tournament.

Thirteen hams put in a combined 110 person-hours patrolling the soccer fields. According to one NVARC participant, “Saturday’s downpours proved a good test for our ability to shield our radio equipment from the elements… The weather was pretty miserable, but the kids clearly had fun playing in the mud, and the rain didn’t dampen their enthusiasm for the game.” Photo courtesy KD1SM.

—Thanks, NVARC Signal, October 2005

Seven members of the Boston Amateur Radio Club combined public service with public relations during the annual WGBH Ice Cream FunFest on September 17, 2005. According to BARC Public Service Chairman Bob Salow, WA1IDA, “Visitor attendance was better than in the heavy rain last year, but still modest. But we hams were ready to manage communications for parking, crowd safety and staff coordination.”

BARC sponsored a booth for Amateur Radio Public Awareness Day to meet and greet the visitors. Many people, including kids, stopped by with interest in ham radio. The booth was equipped with a code oscillator and a Morse chart, and certificates were awarded to kids who could learn to send their names.

—Thanks, Boston ARC’s The SPARC, October 2005

Terry Stader, KA8SCP writes:

As we have done for many years, [the Police Amateur Radio Team of Westford] will once again be providing a Pumpkin Patrol service to the Town of Westford. Many of you are veterans and others may be volunteering for the first time… which ever you are… thank you in advance for your help!

Pumpkin Patrol involves the use of Amateur Radio volunteers proving additional eyes and ears to the Town of Westford during the annual Trick or Treat event to observe and report any potential safety issues back to the PART Pumpkin Patrol Net Control Station which will be located at the Westford Police station. A report from one of our patrols will get handed off to the Westford PD Dispatcher and addressed by the Town’s public safety services. Our role is only to report what we see and provide input to our Town’s public safety officials.We normally require 5 – 8 radio operators that will patrol various geographical sections of town. Maps and a checklist of locations to watch will be provided when you check-in for your assignment. Check-in occurs at the Westford Police station where we record your call sign and your vehicle information. You do NOT need to be a resident of the Town of Westford to volunteer, but a basic familiarity to the town’s roads is a plus!

The normal time for Trick or Treaters is 6 PM until 8 PM. Our activities have been varied over the years, but we normally will run the operation from 5:30 PM until 10:00 – 11:00 PM. If the weather is lousy, the net closure time will be adjusted accordingly. We try and accommodate every individuals schedule… we have run with 2 shifts in the past… an early and a late shift. We will accept your offer to assist at any time throughout the course of the evening.

The plans are to use the PART 2 meter WB1GOF repeater on 146.955 (PL 74.4) for the entire event. So all a volunteer needs is a radio capable of operating on that frequency. A vehicle will help too… but if you don’t drive and want to ride shotgun with another ham, that can be accommodated as well.

Feel free to drop me a note with any questions and/or if you would like to volunteer. Pass this along to others who may be interested.

Terry M. Stader
MEMA Region 1 Communications/RACES Officer
President, The Police Amateur Radio Team of Westford, MA – WB1GOF
(978) 692-2069 Home
(508) 397-4142 Work Cell
(508) 303-4370 Work
(978) 490-8150 Nextel
180*262823*22 Nextel D/C
(508) 899-9075 Arch Pager

The Southeastern MA Amateur Radio Association plans to operate in the FISTS Fall Sprint from 1700 UTC until 2100 UTC on Saturday, October 8, 2005.

“We are a FISTS member,” writes Ron Silvia, WB1HGA. Silvia and company will be ready with two stations for the event. “We need operators. Speed is not a requirement–only the desire to have a good time.”

SEMARA operated in an earlier FISTS on-air event in February, 2005, logging contacts across the US and Canada.

FISTS is the International Morse Preservation Society, offering nets, “code buddies”, a QSL bureau and merchandising of clothing sporting pro-CW messages.

Bill Mc Ininch, Jr., KA1MOM writes:

In four weeks, on Saturday Nov 5, the Clay Science Center at Dexter and Southfield Schools in Brookline will be hosting the National Weather Service’s Annual Weather Conference. (Details at http://www.sneweatherconf.org/index.shtml and http://www.claycenter.org/weatherfest.)

This event typically draws a crowd of several hundred weather science enthusiasts and Weatherfest family attendees. There will be weather-related vendors, displays, and gift-sales tables, as well as a program of lectures.

Volunteers are needed to run a ham radio display to promote ham radio to kids and families. You can promote your own clubs at the same time. The attendees come from all over greater Boston, including Walpole, Norwood, north and south shores, etc. I would love to have a special table promoting SKYWARN.

If you are available, call Bob Phinney, K5TEC, at 617-454-2718 or e-mail bphinney@dexter.org.

Members of the Billerica Amateur Radio Society set up a very successful Amateur Radio station exhibit for the Town of Billerica’s “Yankee Doodle Day” at the Billerica Memorial High School on September 17, 2005.

The group set up an “impressive antenna array” consisting of a 40M dipole and verticals for VHF and 17 meters.

According to BARS Newsletter Editor Ken Caruso, WO1N, the crowds consisted of many hams as well as the general public. “What was unusual this year was the number of hams that stopped by and introduced themselves–lots of former BARS members and some new faces, too.”

According to Caruso, always a highlight with the kids was the Morse code sending exhibit. Thirty youngsters earned certificates proclaiming their exposure to and interest in CW by sending their name in code while the hams copied what they sent. “The look of surprise on their faces when we were able to guess their name from what they sent was worth a million bucks!” remarked WO1N.

The Yankee Doodle Day operation made some 40 contacts on the high frequency bands. In addition, NF1A demonstrated VHF packet and internet 802.11b connectivity. BARS plans to mail stylish certificates to stations with whom contacts were made.

“We’re looking for someone with a bit more artistic ability to punch up some of our displays and signs for next year’s [Yankee Doodle Day operation], but we have the process, site location and interest for next year,” adds Caruso.

Pictured (l-r): Dick Eastman, K1OJH; Ken Caruso, WO1N.

—Thanks, Billerica ARS Newsletter, October, 2005