Month: September 2017

Emergency Communications / NTS

WELFARE INQUIRIES INTO PUERTO RICO

- by admin - Leave a Comment

I have had requests to send welfare inquiries into Puerto Rico and have been sending these NTS messages via pactor to Florida where under normal conditions there has been regular contact with Puerto Rico for the relaying of messages.  Because of the extreme devastation however I was informed by a Florida operator that the following information provided by the Weather Channel is being used to inquire about status of residents of PR.  I suggest folks try either that or the Red Cross Safe and Well site, URL listed below. While we will try to get information via NTS, please understand that it may not be possible under the circumstances.

PR’s Federal Affairs Administration:
Email: maria1@prfaa.pr.gov
Call: 202-800-3133 or 202-778-0710
Please provide your contact info and share as many details as possible.
Please send only one email, no follow-ups

Red Cross Safe and Well site:
https://safeandwell.communityos.org/

All / Youth

ARISS Contact From Fenway Park A Huge Success

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

The Red Sox 2017 STEM Day at Fenway Park in Boston, MA drew over 2,500 students from schools in every New England state, including schools in low-income areas. Some students traveled a day early to ensure they’d be there on time.  The Red Sox had been sending various STEM education materials to all schools.

A tweet from the Italian Space Agency / ISS crew member and amateur radio operator Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA: “One astronaut and 2000 future ones! Had fun talking with you all!”  Fenway Park also tweeted, resulting in 26.5K tweets, 305 following, and 514 followers. Dan Barstow from CASIS was at Fenway and moderated the ARISS radio contact.

[See also: “Boston Red Sox Promote STEM Education By Hosting STEM Days At Fenway Park“]

 

All / Emergency Communications

New England Area Flea Markets, September 5, 2017

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment 

New England Area   Ham - Electronic Flea Market  ***  DATES ***   2017 P 1 of 2

All events are Ham Radio/ Electronic related except ~_____~
*******************************************************************************
2017                                                    Contact          Source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8,10 Sept Boxboro MA FEMARA NE Conv                  Mike K1TWF 978 250 1235

9 Sept Windsor CT VR+C Mus 115 Pierson LN @8AM Outside     John 860 673 0518

10 Sept Ballston Spa NY SCRACES @FG $6@7               Jim KG2H 518 703-9558 F

16 Sept Alexander ME StCVARC @ElSch                  Roger W1LH 207 454 2174 A

16 Sept Lincoln RI RIAFMRS @KoC $5/T@8A            Roland N1JOY 617 839 9081  +

17 Sept Cambridge MA            Flea at  MIT              Mitch 617 253 3776 F
                        Third Sunday April thru October

1 Oct Fishkill, NY MBARC @Down St Corr              Adam KC2DAA 845 849 3666 A

8 Oct Queens NY HoSARC  $5@9 $10/S@7:30          Stephen WB2KDG 718 898 5599 F

13-14 Oct Deerfield NH NEARFest XXII @FG             Mike K1TWF 978 250 1235 W

15 Oct Cambridge MA             Flea at  MIT              Mitch 617 253 3776 F

21 Oct Brookline NH NEARC Antique@EvntCr $10@7:30 $5@8:30 Bruce 603 772 7516 W

21 Oct Accord NY OMARC @JrHS                       Keith K2UNI  845 687 9951 A

22 Oct Meriden CT Nutmeg@Sheraton                    John N1GNV 203 440 4973 A

28 Oct Gales Ferry CT TCARC @FireCo auction        Darryl WA1DD 860 443 7799 W

29 Oct Hicksville NY LIMARC @LeviitHall           Richard K2KNB 516 694 4937 A

11 Nov Bourne MA FARA @UpperCC VoTech $5@9 $10/S@7  ralph N1YHS 508 548 0422

2 Dec Windsor CT VR+C Mus 115 Pierson LN @8AM Indoor       John 860 673 0518

*******************************************************************************
LAST UPDATE 9-5-17 de W1GSL         http://swapfest.us                    P 1
List is normally updated twice a month - look for the latest version
*******************************************************************************



Additions/ Corrections via e-Mail   w1gsl@mit.edu  <- SUBSCRIBE
US Mail  W1GSL POB 397082 MIT Br Cambridge MA 02139
(c)2017 W1GSL unlimited reproduction permitted in entirety

New England Area  Ham - Electronic  Flea Market  ***  DATES  *** 2017  P2 of 2

*******************************************************************************
2018                                                    Contact          Source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
20 Jan Whitman MA WARC @KoC Rt18  $5@9AM $15/T            Chris 781 523 5010 F+

3 Feb Springfield VT CVFMA @VFW @8 B/Free $5/T@7      Dave K1ZS 603 446 7312

24 Feb S Burlington VT RAoNV @HI  I89x14 $9@8 $15@6   Mitch W1SJ 802 879 6589 +

10 Mar Chicopee MA MtTomARA @Castle $5@8:30 S@6:30  Brian KC1BDF 860 478 6790

30,31 Mar Lewiston ME AARC ME Conv @Ramada @8         Ivan N1OXA 207 784 0350

7 Ap Hampton NH PCARC @Masonic  $5@8 $10/T@7            Mark K1RX 603 231 8965

14 Ap Newton MA PHSNE Photographica Sat Only @AmLegion @9A   John 781 592 2553

4-5 May Deerfield NH NEARfest XXIII @FG                Mike K1TWF 978 250 1235  +

11 Aug St Albans VT STARC @VFW                          Arn N1ARN 802 309 0666  +
*******************************************************************************
LAST UPDATE 9-5-17 de W1GSL         http://swapfest.us               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  W= web         WR NV 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.
*******************************************************************************
Additions/ Corrections via e-Mail   w1gsl@mit.edu  <- SUBSCRIBE
US Mail  W1GSL POB 397082 MIT Br Cambridge MA 02139
(c)2017 W1GSL unlimited reproduction permitted in entirety




New England Area  Ham - Electronic  Flea Market  ***  DATES  *** 2017 -> ***
Page 3 Electronic distribution only.  This page has the overflow if any
from the paper version.

*******************************************************************************
2018                                                    Contact          Source
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


*******************************************************************************
LAST UPDATE  9-5-17 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)2017 W1GSL   http://www.swapfest.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) 2016 W1GSL
***********************************************************************
This section is only included in the electronic distribution.

Cambridge MA    Flea at MIT     http://www.swapfest.us

Hopkinton NH    Hosstraders   RIP :-(    http://www.qsl.net/k1rqg/

Boxborough MA   NE ARRL Conv    http://www.boxboro.org/

Adams MA        N BerkshireARC  http://www.nobarc.org/hamfest.htm

Chicopee MA     MTARA           http://www.mtara.org/

Dartmouth MA    SEMARA          http://www.semara.org/flea.htm

Falmouth MA     FARA            http://www.falara.org/

Framingham MA   FARA            http://www.fara.org/
                                http://www.n1em.org

Marlboro MA     AARC            http://www.qsl.net/n1em/

Newton MA       Waltham ARA Auction    http://www.wara64.org/auction/

Rockport MA     CAARA           www.caara.net

S Dartmouth MA  SEMARA          http://www.semara.org/

Wakefield MA    Photographica   http://www.phsne.org/

Westford MA     NEAntiqueRC     http://www.nearc.net/
moved to Nashua NH

Whately MA      FranklinCARC    http://www.fcarc.org/news.htm

Whitman MA      WARC            http://www.wa1npo.org

Worcester MA    WPI ACM         http://acm.wpi.edu/swapmeet/

Dayville CT     ECARA           http://www.qsl.net/k1muj/

Gales Ferry CT  RASON           http://www.rason.org/

Gales Ferry CT  TCARC           http://www.qsl.net/tricityarc/

Goshen CT       SBARC           http://www.sberk.org                     +

Hartford CT     ARRL 100th      http://www.arrl.org/convention-volunteers

Manchester CT   VHF/UHF Conf    http://www.newsvhf.com/
         was Enfield

Manchester CT   PVRA            http://www.pvra.net

Meriden CT      Nutmeg CT Conv  http://www.nutmeghamfest.com
        was Wallingford

Newington CT    NARL            http://www.narlhamfest.org/

Newtown CT      CARA            http://www.cararadioclub.org/

North Haven CT                  http://www.yankeehamfest.com

Southington CT  SARA            http://www.chetbacon.com/sara.htm

Vernon CT       NARC            http://hamfest.na1rc.org/

Wallingford CT  Nutmeg CT Conv  http://www.nutmeghamfest.com
         moved to Meriden CT

Windsor CT      Vintage R Mus   http://vrcmct.org/

Agusta ME       AARA            http://www.w1tlc.com/

Alexander ME    StCVARC          http://stcroixvalleyamateurradioclub.org

Hermon ME       PSARC           http://n1me.org/index.php?pr=Hamfest

Lewiston ME     AARC      http://www.w1npp.org/pages/meconvention2018.html       +

S. Portland ME  PAWA            http://www.qsl.net/pawa/hamfest.html

St. Albans ME   PARC            http://www.qsl.net/parc/hamfest/hamfest.html

Thomaston ME    PBARC           http://penbayarc.org/

Windsor ME      AARA            http://www.w1tlc.com/

Brookline NH    NEAntiqueRC     http://www.nearc.net/

Deerfield NH    NEAR-Fest       http://www.near-fest.com/

Hampton NH      PCARC           http://www.w1wqm.org

Henniker NH     CVRC            http://k1bke.org/

Londonderry NH  IRS             www.irs.nhradio.org/

Manchester NH   NEAntiqueRC     http://www.nearc.net/
        Moved to Westford MA
        Moved to Brookline NH

N Conway NH     WMARC           http://www.w1mwv.com

Nashua NH       NEARC           www.nearc.net
was Westford MA

Rochester NH    GBRA            http://www.w1fz.org/

Bergen NJ       BARA            http://www.bara.org/

Sussex NJ       SCARC    http://www.scarcnj.org/www.scarcnj.org/flyer_2007.htm

Ballston Spa NY SCRACES         http://k2dll.net/

E Greenbush NY  E Greenbush ARA http://www.w2egb.org/

Fishkill NY     MtBARC          http://www.wr2abb.org/
   was LaGrangeville

Lake Placid NY  NNY ARA  http://www.northnet.org/nnyham/hamfest_flyer2004.htm

Lindenhurst NY  ToB ARES        http://www.tobares.org/hamfest.html

Lindenhurst NY  GSB ARA         http://www.gsbarc.org/Hamfest.htm

Long Island NY  LIMARC          http://www.limarc.org/fest.htm

Middletown NY   OCARC           http://www.ocarc-ny.org/

Queens NY       Hall of Science http://www.hosarc.org/

Rochester NY    AWA             http://www.antiquewireless.org/

Rochester NY    RARA            http://www.rochesterham.org/hamfest.htm

Staten Island NY CPARA          http://www.wa2cp.org   +

Wallkill NY     OCARC           http://www.ocarc-ny.org/

Greenwich RI    Fidelity ARC    http://users.ids.net/~newsm/dates.html

Forestdale RI   RIFMRS          http://www.qsl.net/riafmrs/Auction.html

Woonsocket RI   BVARC           www.w1ddd.org

Colchester VT   HAM-CON VT Conv  http://www.ranv.org/hamcon.html
   Moved to S Burlington

St. Albans VT   STARC           http://www.starc.org/

Springfield VT  CVFMA           http://www.cvfma.org/

Moncton NB      TCARC           http://www.ve9tca.org/

Quispamsis NB   LCARC           http://www.lcarc.ca/

Greenwood NS    GARC            http://www.greenwoodarc.org/

Drummondville PQ  leCRdeD       http://www.raqi.ca/ve2crd/hamfest/index.html

Greenwood PQ    GARC            www.greenwoodarc.org

Laval PQ        CRALL           http://www.ve2crl.qc.ca/

Montreal PQ     MARC            http://www.marc.qc.ca/fest/fest.html

Montreal PQ     WIARC           http://www.wiarc.ca/

Montreal PQ     MS-SARC         http://www.ve2clm.ca/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=120

Montreal PQ     UMS             http://www.ve2ums.ca/agenda/pub_2007_hamf.pdf

Sorel-Tracy PQ  CRAS-T          http://www.hamfest.qc.ca/

St Romuald PQ   ARESdQ          http://raqi.ca/ve2csq/

St Therese PQ   CRALL           http://www.ve2crl.qc.ca/hamfest2002.htm

Summerside PEI  SPARC      http://www.summersidearc.com/fleamarket2009.htm

Greenwood NS    GARC            http://www.greenwoodarc.org/

Halifax NS      HARC            http://www.halifax-arc.org/

Timonium MD     GBHC            http://www.gbhc.org/

Montreal Area   MARC List       http://www.marc.qc.ca/fest/festcal.html

Canada          RAC List        http://rac.eton.ca/events/upcoming.php

Phila. Area     VARA List       http://www.qsl.net/w2vtm/hamfest.html

USA             ARRL List       http://www.arrl.org/hamfests.html

*******************************************************************************
P4 LAST UPDATE 7-7-17 de W1GSL                                          P 4
Additions/ Corrections via Internet  w1gsl@mit.edu
                           US Mail  W1GSL POB 397082 MIT Br Cambridge MA 02139
(c)2017 W1GSL   http://www.swapfest.us        SASE for updated copy as issued.
unlimited reproduction permitted in entirety
*******************************************************************************
All

JOE O’BRIEN K1LCQ SK

- by admin - Leave a Comment

It saddens us to hear of the passing of Joe O’Brien K1LCQ last January 9, 2017.  Joe was for many years an icon of the East Mass Two Meter Traffic Net, holding the position of Friday night NCS for at least 30 years before becoming ill last year.  When I first upgraded to General class from a Novice in 1982 Joe was on the Boston repeater reliably every Friday and always signed off with “88s to the ladies”.  We will surely miss him.  RIP Joe and 73 from the gang on EM2MN

The follow article was posted on this website in 2008:

MEET JOE O’BRIEN K1LCQ

Born June 28, 1926 in Jamaica Plain. Graduated from St. Ann’s School Neponset June 1939. Graduated from Mechanic Arts High School (now Boston Tech) June 1943. Served US Army Air Corps as a bandsman and also a broadcaster on the base Armed Forces Radio Station at Fort Pepperell Newfoundland, August 1945 to December 1946. Played the trombone in the Army and also locally with American Legion Bands, but I was a lousy trombone player.

Upon return to civilian life I worked for phone company 1947 – 1949. Joined the City of Boston Public Works Dept. in 1950 and later the Boston Water and Sewer Dept. until retirement in 1996. The last 15 years of which I served as their Radio Dispatcher and was responsible for keeping their repeaters in operating condition, working with FCC licensed contractors.

Joined the ranks of amateur radio June 10, 1959 as a tech and operated six meter AM. Upgraded to General Glass and Advance class a few years later. At that time Hams took their exams in the FCC Office at the Custom House Building in downtown Boston. Joined EM2MN back in the days when it was on 145.800 using AM emission before we had FM and repeaters. Had to use Beam Antennas to communicate and pass traffic. That was back in 1978. Have been NCS on EM2MN on Friday nights for 25 years.

The following is a link to Joe’s obituary.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/joseph-o%27brien-obituary?pid=1000000183534980&view=guestbook


Emergency Communications

Reminder: Monthly EMA ARES Net 9/11 8:30pm

- by admin - Leave a Comment
Please note we are delayed one week due to Labor Day. Also all ARES, SKYWARN, RACES, and other folks are advised to keep an eye on Hurricane Irma. It is too early to say where it will go, but a hit on the eastern seaboard is not out of the question. Now is a good time to revisit your emergency go kits and other supplies as hurricane season is upon us, and eventual preparation for the upcoming New England winter season.

Hello to all…
We will be continuing our monthly ARES Net in September. The monthly ARES Net for September is Monday the 11th, at 8:30 PM on the MMRA Repeater system. This is after the MEMA Nets earlier in the evening. For frequencies that will be linked into the ARES Net on the MMRA Network, please see the following link from the MMRA web site detailing the repeaters that will be linked in through Hub 1:

http://www.mmra.org/repeaters/repeater_index_by_linkstate.html


Make this 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.

As part of our relationship with MARS and our own situational awareness gathering we will be asking for any known infrastructure issues that you are aware of. The information must either be personally observed, or obtained “over the air” via amateur radio. Items considered to be infrastructure include but are not limited to: electrical power, water, medical facilities, sanitation, communications, and transportation. Examples of failure would be: small or large area power failure, water main breaks, hospitals’ ER closed, sewage issues, TV/radio station off the air (including public safety), interstate highway or major road closed. No known issues are just as important as reporting failures.

Additionally we are interested in relay of any weather information from airport ATIS/ASOS stations that you can directly receive via radio. These stations broadcast continuously in the 120.000 – 138.000 MHz frequency range using amplitude modulation. Information from the ATIS should include airport, temperature, altimeter (barometer), wind, precipitation, and visibility.

A list of stations with their frequencies and a map can be found at: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/weather/asos/?state=MA

A brief introduction to ATIS can be found at: https://www.ivao.aero/training/documentation/books/PP_ADC_ATIS.pdf
A more detailed introduction to ATIS/ASOS can be found at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/ASOS-book.pdf

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!

Marek Kozubal, KB1NCG
EMA Section Emergency Coordinator

Clubs

Noted Media Historian to Speak at North Shore RA, Sept. 18, 2017

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

North Shore RA logoNSRA General Meeting on September 18th, 2017
NOTE: Third week this month
Doors open at 7pm, meeting starts at 7:30pm
Link to Meeting Location

Speaker:
Media Historian, Professor, & Former broadcaster
Dr. Donna Halper

Speaking on:
How the Amateurs Created Commercial Radio… and what happened after that

Today, people can listen to radio in a number of ways– online, in the car, at home, even on their smartphone. But there was a time in the early 1920s when radio was new, and there was only one way to listen– in your “radio room.” In those early years, one group of people helped to keep your favorite stations on the air– ham radio operators.

Join media historian, professor, and former broadcaster Donna Halper on September 18th, as she brings along her rare radio memorabilia and takes you back in time. She will introduce you to some pioneering hams who kept a foot in both amateur and commercial radio (without them, there would have been no stations like WBZ or WEEI or the first station in Massachusetts– 1XE/WGI).

Dr. Halper will also share some interesting facts about the history of Boston radio, including why radio today isn’t as good as what many of us remember from when we were growing up. And she will tell you about some performers and announcers who came from the North Shore.