International Marconi Day

KM1CC QSL card
International Marconi Day
April 22, 2006 UTC

FCC licensed radio operators are invited to operate with KM1CC at the Coast Guard Station, Coast Guard Beach, Eastham to celebrate International Marconi Day. International Marconi Day honors the birthday of the “Wizard of Wireless,” Guglielmo Marconi, on the Saturday closest to his birth date, April 25, 1874. The public is invited to observe operations from10 am- 3 pm; operators are needed from Friday April 21 at 8 pm ET through Saturday April 22 8 pm ET. For more information contact Barbara Dougan, KB1GSO at Barbara_Dougan@nps.gov . For park information, and maps visit: http://www.nps.gov/caco.

CW and voice operations: local 2 Meter repeaters, 17 Meter, 20 Meter, 40 Meters, and 80 Meters.

17M 18.160 SSB 18.080 CW
20M 14.260 SSB 14.035 CW
40M 7.260 SSB 7.035 CW
80M 3.860 SSB 3.535 CW

Marconi’s South Wellfleet Station site is located in Cape Cod National Seashore and is open to the public. The station was built on a coastal bluff in 1901. Due to erosion, little remains of the original site. However, a model and a few remnants of the tower bases can still be seen.

Cape Cod National Seashore has a free Marconi: Beyond the Horizon lesson plan on its website:  http://www.nps.gov:80/archive/caco/education/Marconi.pdf. This lesson plan includes activities that meet Massachusetts’ history, physical science, and technology/engineering learning standards.

For more information about historic Marconi Stations around the world and International Marconi Day visit: http://gx4crc.com/gb4imd/.

Volunteers sought for American Diabetes Association Events

The American Diabetes Association is looking for Amateur Radio help with two cycling events this spring.

Sunday, April 30, 2006 – Cape Cod Tour de Cure
Start/Finish: Barnstable County Fairgrounds, E. Falmouth
Looking for volunteers with own equipment for rest stops (5), sag vehicles and start/finish support.

Sunday, June 25, 2006 – Marshfield Tour de Cure
Start/Finish: Marshfield Fairgrounds, Marshfield
Looking for volunteers with own equipment for rest stops (4), sag vehicles and start/finish support.

All volunteers will receive a tee-shirt and lunch.

For more info or to volunteer, call Faith at 888-DIABETES (888-342-2383) x 3456 or email her at flinsky@diabetes.org.

Volunteers Sought For Boston Beanpot Cycling Classic

Boston BeanpotJohn Ruggiero, N2YHK writes:

I have been approached about possibly providing ham radio communications assistance to the Boston Beanpot Cycling Classic in Grafton on Saturday, April 8th from 7am-4pm.

They are looking at the prospect of deploying hams to help them out. They have 24 marshal locations, 8 police locations, a feed zone, a medical zone and the start/finish. There is the potential to deploy at least 35 hams if we can get that many.

If you can volunteer, please contact me with:

* Times available
* Communications equipment (VHF and/or UHF, mobile and/or portable, cross-band ability – All equipment must have enough power to last 10 hours or the duration that you are available + 1 hour)

Please pass this around. Thanks!

John, N2YHK
n2yhk@wpi.edu

New England Area Flea Markets, March 18, 2006

New England Area   Ham - Electronic  Flea Market  ***  DATES  *** 2006 P 1 of 2
All events are Ham Radio/ Electronic related except ~_____~
************************************************************************ *******
2006 Contact Source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
18 Mar Pomfret CT ECARA @CommSch Rt101+169 $2@8 $10/TPaul KE1LI 860 928 2456 F+

18 Mar New Windsor NY OCARC @TempleHillSch Edward N2XJI 845 534 3492 A+

19 Mar Henniker NH CVRC @ Comm School Jim NS1E 603 428 7436 A+

25 Mar Lewiston ME AARC @Ramada $8/T $5@8 Rick N1WFO 207 740 1266 W

25 Mar Rochester NH GBRA @CommCtr @9 $10/T@8 Karen KB1KBE 207 698 1618 W

25-26 Mar Timonium MD GBHC 6AM @FG Doug N3VEJ 410 HAM FEST A+

26 Mar Framingham MA FARA @WalshSch $5@9 $20/T@7:30 Kevin W1MEX 508 653 2863 W

8 Apr Londonderry NH IRS @Lions Club $10@7 $3@9 Gayle KB1LHA 781 598 1442

15 Ap S Portland ME PAWA @AmLegion Roger N1XP 207 671 0671 A

16 Apr Cambridge MA FLEA at MIT Nick 617 253 3776
Third Sunday April thru October

22 Apr Nashua NH NE Antique RC $15/T@7 $5@8 $2@9 @StStan Marty 603 755 2839

22 April Montreal PQ MARC @LaSalleRCL $4@9 $8/T@8 James 514 697 7205 R

23 Ap Southington CT SARA @HS $5@9 $10@8:30 $20/T@6:30 Chet 860 628 9346 F

23 Ap LaGrangeville NY MtBeaconARC @TymorPk Rich N2ZKX 845 344 2720 A+

23 Ap Enfield CT NEWS E VHF/UHF Conf Mark K1MAP 413 566 2404 W+

29-30 Ap Watertown MA Photographica @ACEC ~photo~ John 781 592 2553 W+

5,6 May Hopkinton NH HossTraders @FG x7 I89 Joe K1RQG 207 469 3492 T

6 May Goshen CT SBARC @FG Rt 63 Lee K1LEE 860 435 0051 +

13 May Halifax NS HARC @ForumAnnex B@9 S@6:30 Murray VE1MMD R

13 May Rensselaer NY EGARA @FireHse $5@8 $10/T@6 Thomas KC2FCP 518 272 1494 F+

21 May Cambridge MA FLEA at MIT Nick 617 253 3776

27 May Vernon CT NARC @Tolland AG Ctr Wayne N1GUS 860 487 1921 A

28 May SorelTracy PQ STARC $5@9 $15/T@6 Luc VE2DWE 450 743 8676 R+

2 June Feeding Hills MA HCRA TG Party @CongCh @6PM Dave KB1MU 413 596 6605

2-4 June Rochester NY RARA @FG Harold K2HC 585 424 7184 A

3 June Hermon ME PSARC @HS Roger KA1TKS 207 848 3846 A+

4 June Queens NY HoSARC 47-01 111st $5@9 $10/sp@7:30 Steve 718 898 5599 F+

11 June Newington CT NARL @ShrinerHall George AB1GL 860 463 0948 A+
************************************************************************ *******
LAST UPDATE 3-18-06 de W1GSL
P 1
List is normally updated twice a month - look for the latest version

************************************************************************ *******
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.
************************************************************************ *******
2006 Contact Source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~
************************************************************************ *******
LAST UPDATE 3-18-06 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)2006 W1GSL http://www.swapfwst.us SASE for updated copy as issued.
unlimited reproduction permitted in entirety
************************************************************************ *******

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

Be sure to check for the latest version as updating is under the control

of the page owner.

* You can have the list e-mailed directly to you as it is updated.
*
* Just send a request to be added to the distribution to w1gsl@mit.edu
*

73 Steve F
W1GSL

***********************************************************************
New England Area Ham - Electronic Flea Market *** DATES *** P4
Links to New England Hamfest Web Sites (c) 2006 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

Watertown MA Photographica http://www.phsne.org/ +

Whately MA FranklinCARC http://www.fcarc.org/flea.html

Enfield CT VHF/UHF Conf http://www.newsvhf.com/vhfconf.html +

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/

Rochester NH GBRA http://www.kb1kbe.com/hamfest06.html

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/

Timonium MD GBHC http://www.gbhc.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

ARRL 2006 Summer Teachers Institutes

ARRL flagThe ARRL has announced its 2006 Summer Teachers Institutes on Wireless Technology, funded by generous contributors and support from League members. The hands-on program teaches the basic concepts of wireless, space and robotics technology in the classroom. The workshops are targeted at active and interested school teachers at elementary, middle or high school level, or leadership in enrichment or after-school programs. An Amateur radio license in not required.

The four, one-week-long, expense paid sessions are limited to 12 participants to maximize participation and individual attention.

Dates and locations:

* June 19-23        Parallax, Roseville, CA
* July 24-28        ARRL, Newington, CT
* July 31-Aug 4     ARRL, Newington, CT
* Aug 7-11          Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ

The application deadline is May 15, 2006

If you know of any teachers in Eastern Massachusetts who might benefit from these innovative programs, please have them visit http://www.arrl.org/FandES/tbp/ti.html for more information and to apply.

2006 Multiple Sclerosis Walks, April 8, 2006

MS WalkBob Salow, WA1IDA writes:

As you can see in the Subject line above, this is a plural event. The Multiple Sclerosis Society is organizing not only its historic Boston/Cambridge walk, but at the same time, a walk from Wellesley to Boston. And so we start off the 2006 season of ham radio public service events.

We have been asked to support communications for both events which increases our need for your help on Saturday, 8 April. Yes, these are on a Saturday!

The ham assembly time for the usual Boston/Cambridge walk is 1000 on Boston Common near the intersection of Beacon St and Charles St. The Walk route will proceed west on the Boston side of the Charles River, cross to Cambridge, go east on Memorial Drive and back to Boston. Our tasks should be completed by early afternoon. The usual hearty lunch will be provided for all volunteers.
The “Journey For Hope,” as the Wellesley to Boston walk is called, starts at Elm Bank along the Charles River and proceeds along Route 16 to Route 30 (Commonwealth Ave) in Newton, and then to the Boston Common. There will be several checkpoints along the way. Hams assigned to the start and the checkpoints can go directly to their assignments. The start will need communications at 0700, but the other locations will be later. Lunches will be provided.

For both walks, there are several hazardous or confusing locations, some shadows, and possibly mobile units. Net Control for both events will be in our tent on Boston Common. Present plans call for the Boston/Cambridge walk to use 2 meters and the Journey to use 70 cm, but this is subject to change.

If you are new and want to get more public service experience, this is an excellent event to get your feet wet. These MS Walks are a low impact opportunity to learn the ropes.

Your assistance is valuable. Please let me know promptly if you can help. I will get more details to those who volunteer as soon possible. If you have already volunteered, bear with me and reply to this, also. Get back to me if you have any questions or would like to recommend another ham to join us.

73,

Bob Salow, WA1IDA
wa1ida@arrl.net
508.650.9440

Emergency Communications Workshop

Hello to all….

An Emergency Communications Workshop will be held at the Walpole Town Hall in Walpole, Massachusetts on Saturday April 8th, 2006 from 9 AM-4 PM. The following link has all the details as well as information on preregistration being preferred:

http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo/emrgshop.htm

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo
1

Boxboro 2006: Call For Speakers And Organizations

Boxboro conventionOrganizers for the 2006 ARRL New England Division Convention (Boxboro) are calling for speakers and other participants to register for inclusion in the program.

According to Boxboro Program Chairman Ken Caruso, WO1N, “We are well into the planning phases of the 2006 edition. This is a call for speakers and other participants to help fill out the program aspects of the convention.”

Caruso says that previous presentors are more than welcome to volunteer for a return engagement. He adds, “We have some 50-plus hours of programming to fill.”

Clubs and organizations (e.g., NESMC, CEMARC, MARS) are especially welcome to hold open forums or closed meetings at the convention. Caruso is asking that these groups consider signing up for Sunday time slots.

Please note the new dates for the convention this year: August 25, 26 and 27. Visit http://www.boxboro.org for the latest news and information about the convention.

Ken Caruso, WO1N may be contacted by emailing WO1N@ARRL.NET or calling 978-952-5377 (Days), 978-663-3027 (Evenings).

New England Area Flea Markets 3/3/06

New England Area   Ham - Electronic  Flea Market  ***  DATES  *** 2006 P 1 of 2
All events are Ham Radio/ Electronic related except ~_____~
*******************************************************************************
2006 Contact Source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4 Mar Montreal PQ UMdeSM @CtrRoussin $5@9 $10/t@7 Pierre 514 521 7765 R

18 Mar Pomfret CT ECARA @CommSch Rt101+169 $2@8 $10/TPaul KE1LI 860 928 2456 F+

18 Mar New Windsor NY OCARC @TempleHillSch Edward N2XJI 845 534 3492 A+

19 Mar Henniker NH CVRC @ Comm School Jim NS1E 603 428 47436 A

25 Mar Lewiston ME AARC @Ramada $8/T $5@8 Rick N1WFO 207 740 1266 W

25 Mar Rochester NH GBRA @CommCtr @9 $10/T@8 Karen KB1KBE 207 698 1618 W

26 Mar Framingham MA FARA @WalshSch $5@9 $20/T@7:30 Kevin W1MEX 508 653 2863 W

8 Apr Londonderry NH IRS @Lions Club $10@7 $3@9 Gayle KB1LHA 781 598 1442

15 Ap S Portland ME PAWA @AmLegion Roger N1XP 207 671 0671 A

16 Apr Cambridge MA FLEA at MIT Nick 617 253 3776
Third Sunday April thru October
22 Apr Nashua NH NE Antique RC $15/T@7 $5@8 $2@9 @StStan Marty 603 755 2839

22 April Montreal PQ MARC @LaSalleRCL $4@9 $8/T@8 James 514 697 7205 R

23 Ap Southington CT SARA @HS $5@9 $10@8:30 $20/T@6:30 Chet 860 628 9346 F

23 Ap LaGrangeville NY MtBeaconARC @TymorPk Rich N2ZKX 845 344 2720 A+

5,6 May Hopkinton NH HossTraders @FG x7 I89 Joe K1RQG 207 469 3492 T

6 May Goshen CT SBARC @FG Rt 63 Lee K1LEE 860 435 0051 +

13 May Halifax NS HARC @ForumAnnex B@9 S@6:30 Murray VE1MMD R

13 May Rensselaer NY EGARA @FireHse $5@8 $10/T@6 Thomas KC2FCP 518 272 1494 F+

21 May Cambridge MA FLEA at MIT Nick 617 253 3776

27 May Vernon CT NARC @Tolland AG Ctr Wayne N1GUS 860 487 1921 A+

28 May SorelTracy PQ STARC $5@9 $15/T@6 Luc VE2DWE 450-743-8676 R+

2 June Feeding Hills MA HCRA TG Party @CongCh @6PM Dave KB1MU 413 596 6605

2-4 June Rochester NY RARA @FG Harold K2HC 585 424 7184 A

3 June Hermon ME PSARC @HS Roger KA1TKS 207 848 3846 A+

4 June Queens NY HoSARC 47-01 111st $5@9 $10/sp@7:30 Steve 718 898 5599 F+

11 June Newington CT NARL @ShrinerHall George AB1GL 860 463 0948 A+
*******************************************************************************
LAST UPDATE 3-3-06 de W1GSL P 1
List is normally updated twice a month - look for the latest version
*******************************************************************************
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.
*******************************************************************************
2006 Contact Source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*******************************************************************************
LAST UPDATE 3-3-06 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)2006 W1GSL http://www.swapfwst.us SASE for updated copy as issued.
unlimited reproduction permitted in entirety
*******************************************************************************

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

Be sure to check for the latest version as updating is under the control
of the page owner.

* You can have the list e-mailed directly to you as it is updated. *
* Just send a request to be added to the distribution to w1gsl@mit.edu *

73 Steve F
W1GSL

***********************************************************************
New England Area Ham - Electronic Flea Market *** DATES *** P4
Links to New England Hamfest Web Sites (c) 2006 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/

Rochester NH GBRA http://www.kb1kbe.com/hamfest06.html

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

Reminder: Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net for March

Hello to all…

A reminder that the monthly ARES Net for March is rapidly approaching.

The monthly ARES Net for March is March 6th, 2006, at 8:30 PM on the MMRA Repeater system. This is after the RACES Nets earlier in the evening.

Make the first Monday of the month, “Emergency Communications Night” and check into your local RACES Net and then check into the ARES Net on the MMRA Repeater System. We look forward to your participation and remember, we are always looking for Net Controls to run the ARES Net.

We will have several interesting announcements for the net this evening and we look forward to everyone’s participation. Updates will be posted via email and on the Eastern Massachusetts ARES Web Site at http://ares.ema.arrl.org

Thanks for your continued support of ARES!
Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM) Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo
1

WANT TO VOLUNTEER DURING SPRING BREAK

WANT TO VOLUNTEER DURING SPRING BREAK? HAVE A PLAN

BILOXI, Miss. – Students who want to volunteer in the Mississippi Hurricane Katrina recovery effort during their 2006 spring break need to come with a plan and a volunteer agency or faith based group affiliation before making the trip.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) encourage volunteer participation in the disaster recovery but advise students to plan ahead so they can provide the most help in their brief time away from classes.

“We appreciate those who have volunteered to assist in the recovery efforts throughout our state and we welcome other volunteers,” said Robert Latham, director of MEMA. “We encourage them to affiliate with a group who will match an individual’s skills with productive projects, to make the most of their time here.”

Currently, there are more than 100 voluntary organizations serving in Mississippi.

Students may find and register with these voluntary organizations through the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service at www.mcvs.org. They can also locate them at www.idealist.org, and www.usafreedomcorps.gov, which provides a special page of volunteer opportunities in the hurricane-affected areas.

“Students need to come here with a real mission, a real focus,” said David Turner, voluntary agency liaison for FEMA. “If they don’t have that they’ll waste their time and the resources available to the victims such as housing and even food.”

Students also need to know about the post-hurricane conditions in Mississippi.

Some areas are still dangerous so students need to be extremely careful.

Accommodations are in short supply along the Mississippi coast, so many voluntary and faith-based organizations are providing limited but adequate sleeping facilities as well as meals.

Organizations match needs with volunteer skill sets; volunteers with construction or equipment skills are in high demand.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

IOTA, New England QSO Party On Martha’s Vineyard

Gay Head Lighthouse, M.V.I.N1JOY and others are planning their annual trek to the Gay Head Lighthouse on Martha’s Vineyard to operate in the Islands On The Air (IOTA) contest and the New England QSO Party. According to Roland Daignault, Jr., N1JOY of Westport, “We’ve been doing this trip for so long, I’m losing track of just how many consecutive years. Twelve? Thirteen? Fourteen? Who knows for sure?”

Daignault describes the operation as a great trip, and a chance to make a few QSOs. Tentative plans call for a setup crew to head out on the afternoon of Thursday, May 4, and stay all weekend; then, head home the evening of Sunday, May 7.

According to N1JOY, “This will be a Field Day-style setup, operating on generator power the entire time. As in previous years, Daignault will be hauling out his “rusty and trusty” radio trailer.

“Much of the radio operating will be from the relative comfort of the trailer.” He adds, “Unfortunately my new, bigger and better trailer will not be ready in time for this year’s trip, so we’ll have to get one more trip out of the old faithful camper.”

The Martha’s Vineyard DXpedition will overlap with the New England QSO Party on May 6-7.

If you are planning to join N1JOY and crew, or would like more information, please contact him at: n1joy@arrl.net.

—Thanks, SEMARA Zero Beat, March 2006

Tiger Scouts Visit SEMARA

Tiger Cubs visit SEMARA 1/21/06Youths in the Tiger Cub Scouts took a field trip to the club shack of the Southeastern MA Amateur Radio Assocation on January 21. The Tiger Cubs clearly enjoyed themselves–they especially had fun with the Morse code keyers. Mike Miller, N1ITQ hosted the youngsters. (Question: what are they doing on Field Day ’06?)

Photo (l-r): Mike Miller, Jr.; Logan Avelar; Samuel Dahlbert; Brandon Harrison; Lucas Ferreira; Alex Stalter. Not pictured: Dalton Harrison. Thanks, SEMARA Zero Beat, March, 2006