2007 Marshfield Fair Highlighted In Special Newsletter

Bruce Hayden, NI1X control operator, with Tyler talking with Ray KB1ODUThe 2007 Marshfield Fair is now history, but the Whitman Amateur Radio Club has produced another special newsletter filled with descriptions and photos from the special event to commemorate the Amateur Radio activities.

“We had a great ten days at the Marshfield Fair,” writes WARC’s Bruce Hayden, NI1X. “The weather was good and the participation was fantastic. I hope you enjoy reading about the radioactive adventures of the Whitman Club members.”

[Ed. note: the newsletter should be posted on the web site shortly.]

Boy Scout Jamboree, New Bedford, Oct. 5-7, 2007

SEMARA logoBrad Anselmo, N1VUF writes on SEMARA Discussion list:

On October 5th through the 7th, the Boy Scouts will hold a jamboree at Fort Tabor in New Bedford. They would like to have a ham radio station set up for the participants to work.

If anyone is interested in helping out, please let me know. I would like to get one HF station and one 2M/440 station with enough people to man them between 9:00 am and 5:00 PM on Saturday. If we can get two people for 2-3 hours each to be there throughout the day, that would be great. If anyone is interested in spending the day, you are more than welcome. Food can be provided.

I have two radios, IC-706 and Yaesu 2M/440 but will need an HF antenna. Spare radios would be nice to have stored in someone’s car as well. I have a supply of batteries so we would not need to run off of power supplies. I am trying to see if we can set up near the building (if not inside depending on weather) so we can have a place to put the antenna.

I will be there with a Troop and will probably have another station set up on Friday night through to Sunday morning.

This is a great opportunity to show our hobby to a large group of people. If people have ideas of placards, small demonstrations or even powerpoint presentations that can be run on a laptop, let me know.

Let me know your ideas and if you are able to participate. You can contact me directly via cell at 774-930-6403 or via e-mail.

Thanks,

Brad Anselmo, N1VUF

Jimmy Fund Walk Help Needed, Sept. 16, 2007

Jimmy Fund logoSteve Schwarm, W3EVE writes:

I need hams for the Jimmy Fund Walk on Sunday, September 16th. This is a low key event that covers the same course as the Boston Marathon. We are supplying communications for the Red Cross First Aid stations along to course. The majority of the activity is on the last half of the course. We also have been asked to supply hams for the medical buses. All the buses start from downtown and of course return you there. Parking will be provided. This is a good first time event so if you have some new hams suggest that they might give this event a try. All that is needed is a 2 meter HT with a good antenna and extra batteries.

To sign up send me an email at w3eve@arrl.net or give me a call on my cell 508-922-9688. This is for a very worth while event and I could really use your help.

NEAR-Fest is Coming Oct. 12-13, 2007

NEAR-fest logoAll radio enthusiasts are invited to attend the Fall 2007 NEAR-Fest! The Deerfield (NH) Fairgrounds was the site of the legendary “Hosstraders Tailgate Swapfest” for fifteen years until the event was moved in 1993. “Hosstraders” is just a memory now but NEAR-Fest is continuing the grand tradition back at the magnificent Deerfield Fairgrounds.

In addition to the hundreds of hams “tailgating” in the flea market there will be a huge building of commercial vendors and dealers offering everything from the latest in radio equipment, books, accessories and who knows what else? You never know what treasures, old and new, you will find at Deerfield!

More information and directions are available on the NEAR-Fest website.

–Thanks, Western MA ARRL

UPDATED 10/20/08: MEMA Training Classes Offered

The following is from Tom Kinahan, N1CPE, Massachusetts State RACES Radio Officer.

The following new courses have been added to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency’s training calendar:

Incident Command System 200 at Holbrook Public Safety Building on October 20, 2008

Modular Emergency Response Radiological Transportation Training T-T-T at Shrewsbury Fire Department on October 21, 2008

Incident Command System 400 at DelValle Institute – O’Neill Room on October 23, 2008

NIMS-700 / ICS-100 at So. Attleboro Fire Station on November 6, 2008

Incident Command System 300 at Merrimac Council on Aging on November 8, 2008

Incident Command System 300 at Barnstable County Fire & Rescue Training Academy on November 19, 2008

Incident Command System 100 at Ipswich New Town Hall Meeting Room B on November 21, 2008

Incident Command System 100 at Ipswich New Town Hall Meeting Room B on November 25, 2008

HSEEP Toolkit Training Workshop at MEMA Headquarters-Training Room on December 2, 2008

Incident Command System 400 at Barnstable County Fire & Rescue Training Academy on December 10, 2008

Visit our web site at
MEMA Training Calendar
for more details.
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Massachusetts Statewide Hurricane Joshua Drill Report Posted

Hello to all….

The Massachusetts Statewide Hurricane Joshua Drill report is now posted on the Eastern Massachusetts ARES web page. It can be found on the Main Menu under the training section below the Go Kit Power Point Presentation.

Thanks to all for their support of this drill and Eastern Massachusetts 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
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WinLink 2000 Info Archived On Main Menu Under Departments/Programs

Hello to all….

The two announcements on WinLink 2000 have been added to a separate link under Departments/Programs called Winlink 2000. In addition, a Power Point presentation on Winlink 2000 that was done at the Boxboro Hamfest in 2006 has also been added with updated frequency information for those that want a larger overview of the Winlink system. The file is 5.5 to 6 MB so those with low bandwidth connections may want to save the file to the hard drive before viewing it.

Phil McNamara-N1XTB has also prepared a document on how to view WinLink 2000 Bulletin messages and how to view lists of bulletins known as catalogs. This has been added to the WinLink section.

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator

UPDATED 8/11/08: Important Packet and WinLink Telpac Information

Hello to all….

***UPDATED FOR CALL-SIGN CHANGE OF N1YHR-10 to N1RCW-10. REMAINDER BELOW UNCHANGED.***

From Tom Kinahan-N1CPE, Phil McNamara-N1XTB and Gil Follett-W1GMF, here is some important information on Packet and WinLink RMS-Packet stations in the region:

Gil W1GMF has assembled a group of RMS-Packet stations in Eastern Mass that are available to all:

KK1X-10 AYER,MA 145.07
N1OTX-10 WOBURN,MA 145.09
W1GMF-10 ABINGTON,MA 145.09
N1XTB-10 MIDDLEBORO,MA 145.01
N1RCW-10 FORRESTDALE,MA 145.01
KE1AB-10 CRANSTON,RI 145.05

In addition to:

WC1MA FRAMINGHAM, MA. 145.75
N1CPE-10 MILFORD, MA 145.75
WC1MAA-10 TEWKSBURY, MA 145.01
N1OTS-10 GREENFIELD, MA 145.05

The following link provides additional information on the Packet system across Eastern Massachusetts:

http://www.powersrvcs.org/EMAPACKET/

As we move into the active part of Hurricane Season, now is a good time to try technologies such as WinLink and Packet to add to your Emergency Communications capabilities.

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

How to Setup WinLink 2000 For End-Users

Hello to all….

WinLink is becoming a popular way to utilize digital communications over radio despite the low speed of which digital traffic can flow on VHF and UHF. John Ruggerio-N2YHK and Tom Kinahan-N1CPE demonstrated this technology at the last Western Massachusetts ARES Meeting. The following are instructions they have provided that I modified slightly to be more generic.

If you haven’t tried Winlink 2000 out yet, give it a shot. Winlink 2000 is E-mail for ham radio, where regular Internet E-mail is extended from the Internet by radio and can be used to get E-mail into an area without Internet access by radio from an area with Internet access. You can access Winlink 2000 via the Internet, via VHF packet to a RMSPacket station which is connected to the Internet or via HF (Pactor III preferred, but will work with Pactor I and Pactor II). The network also continues to function locally if Internet access is lost.

To get started, go to http://www.winlink.org, click on Downloads, go to the Airmail web page, download the program and run it. Answer all of the usual Windows installation questions – You don’t need to install the PTC-II drivers if you’re not using HF. Then run the program.

When you run it for the first time, click Cancel when it starts popping up the Setup dialog boxes to get to the regular “E-mail” screen. Then click on Tools – Options – Settings and enter your callsign. Click on Modules and make sure Internet Access (Telnet) is checked off. If you’re using VHF Packet, also check off VHF Packet Client and click Setup.
Choose your TNC, Com Port and Baud Rate. Click twice to get back to the “E-mail” screen. Then click Modules – Internet Access – Settings. Enter
these:

Remote Callsign: WL2K
Remote Host: server.winlink.org
Port: 8772
Timeout (sec): 120
Local Callsign:
Password: cmstelnet
Protocol: B2
Include in Auto-check: checked

Then click OK and click the Green Circle and you should see the connection made in the window, ending with an FF, FQ and disconnect.
Then click close.

To connect using VHF Packet, click Modules – Packet Client. Enter the call-sign of the Telpac you want under Connect to:. Your callsign should be in Connect As:. Dial your radio to the frequency of the Telpac you want to connect to and click the Green Circle. You should see the connection made in the window, ending with an FF, FQ and disconnect.
Then click close.

Click on File – New to start a message. Click Cancel when the address book pops up. Enter the call-sign or email address you want to send the message to in the To: field. Enter a subject and some text, then click Message – Post to prepare it to be sent. Then open up Modules – Internet Access and click the Green Circle. The E-mail should go out.

Once you connect to a RMSPacket station, you are automatically registered for 90 days. Just login once every 90 days to keep your account active. If it goes inactive, mail to you will bounce. Just login again to reactivate it. Your E-mail address is callsign@winlink.org. All E-mail coming from the Internet to your Winlink account is automatically blacklisted with a notice to you. To allow mail to come through, first send a message from your Winlink account to the address you wish to whitelist. You can also sign up for Webmail access by clicking the Webmail tab on http://www.winlink.org. You can also control your whitelist from there. To send a message to the Internet from Winlink, just enter the E-mail address in the To: field. Mail to other Winlink users only needs a callsign – You don’t need to enter @winlink.org after it.

If you get on the system, feel free to send a message to me at KD1CY at winlink dot org or send a message to Tom-N1CPE at N1CPE at winlink dot org. For Western Mass Hams, send a note to N2YHK-John Ruggerio. Let me know if you have any questions.

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://www.wx1box.org
http://ares.ema.arrl.org

New England Public Service List August 5, 2007

       PSLIST                                                 August 5, 2007

Public Service Volunteer Opportunities in the New England Division

Listing public events at which Amateur Radio communications is providing
a public service and for which additional volunteers from the Amateur
Community are needed and welcome. Please contact the person listed to
identify how you may serve and what equipment you may need to bring.

The most up-to-date copy of this list is maintained as
http://purl.org/hamradio/publicservice/nediv

**** Every event listed is looking for communications volunteers ****

Date Location Event Contact Tel/Email

Aug 18 Mt WashngtnNH Mt. Wash. Bicycle Hill Climb Cliff N1RCQ
n1rcq@amsat.org or Dave KA1VJU ka1vju@cnharc.org
Aug 19 Mt WashngtnNH Mt. Washington Century Ride Cliff N1RCQ
n1rcq@amsat.org or Dave KA1VJU ka1vju@cnharc.org
Aug 19 Oxford MA New England Ride for Kids Wayne NH6XW 508.735.0807
wayne.anderson@verizon.net
Aug 26 Lakeville MA Cranberry Triathlon Tony N1XRS 508.889.1174
tdduarte@comcast.net
Sep 16 Boston MA Jimmy Fund Walk Steve W3EVE 508.922.9688
w3eve@arrl.net
Sep 29 Bristol NH NH Marathon Cliff N1RCQ
n1rcq@amsat.org or Dave KA1VJU ka1vju@cnharc.org
Oct 6 Hollis NH Applefest Half Marathon Jim WD4JZO 603.889.4429
wd4jzo@arrl.net
Oct 19 Cambridge MA Head of the Charles Regatta Jeff K1EMS
RWJeffA@comcast.net
Oct 20 Cambridge MA Head of the Charles Regatta Jeff K1EMS
RWJeffA@comcast.net
Oct 21 Cambridge MA Head of the Charles Regatta Jeff K1EMS
RWJeffA@comcast.net

This list is published periodically as demand warrants by Stan KD1LE
and Ralph KD1SM. Our usual distribution is via Internet mail to the
arrl-nediv-list and ema-arrl distribution lists, and on the World Wide
Web (see address above). If other mailing list owners wish us to
distribute via their lists we will be happy to oblige. Permission is
herewith granted to republish this list in its entirety provided
credit is given to the authors and the Web address below is included.
Send comments, corrections, and updates to:

KD1SM@ARRL.NET.

We make an attempt to confirm entries with the coordinator unless the
information is from another published source. We very much appreciate
the assistance we have been receiving from our 'scouts'; everyone is
welcome to send us postings.

Refer to http://purl.org/hamradio/publicservice/nediv for the most
recent version of the PSLIST.

Reminder: Monthly ARES Net for August

Hello to all….

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

The monthly ARES Net for August is Monday August 6th, 2007, 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 that 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
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ARRL Announces New Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager

Hello to all….

Its a great pleasure to announce that Dennis Dura-K2DCD is the new Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager for the ARRL. Dennis brings with him 25 years of professional Emergency Management experience and has been involved in voulnteer Emergency Communications positions as the Assistant RACES Radio Officer for the state of New Jersey and the NWS Philadelphia-Mount Holly SKYWARN Coordinator.

Dennis Dura-K2DCD, ARRL Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager
Dennis is currently involved volunteer wise as the Assistant Director of VoIP Hurricane Net Operations and I’ve been working closely with Dennis for roughly the past 2 years in that role. Dennis brings instant credibility to Amateur Radio Emergency Communications at the national level with his professional and volunteer experience.

A detailed press release is available on the ARRL web site at the following link:
ARRL Press Release on Dennis Dura-K2DCD

Congratulations to Dennis-K2DCD on his new position! Given that I already have a working relationship with Dennis, I’ll be looking for him to visit key leadership talks and various group meetings on Emergency Communications in the coming months.

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://www.wx1box.org
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
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