Month: April 2018

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Gene Hastings, W1VRK: Silent Key

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Eugene Hastings, W1VRK, 88, of Marblehead passed away peacefully on Wednesday April 25, 2018 after suffering a massive stroke six weeks earlier. He was born on January 27, 1930 in Salem. Gene graduated Swampscott High School followed by a degree from Boston University in Business Administration. In 1961 he married Clara Brichze and they settled in Marblehead. A long  time advocate for amateur radio and the ARRL, Gene served on the ARRL Foundation Board of Directors from 1993 to 2014 and was honored as a Director Emeritus. For years he championed the ARRL New England Division Convention, one of the …

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Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Distinguished Speaker Series, May 31, 2018

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The Chatham Marconi Maritime Center Ed Fouhy Distinguished Speaker Series will feature, “History of Marconi Innovation on Cape Cod and in Italy” on May 31, 2018 at 7:00 PM at the Monomoy Regional Middle School Auditorium, 425 Crowell Road, Chatham. The evening will feature four presenters along with special guest Princess Elettra Marconi, daughter of the famous wireless pioneer Guglielmo Marconi. See accompanying flyer for more information.  [See also:  Invitation to Meet and Greet Marconi’s daughter, Princess Elettra Marconi, May 31, 2018]

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Emergency Communications

Eastern MA Hospital Net, May 4, 2018

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The South Shore Hospital Amateur Radio Club will not be able to participate in the May 4, 2018 Eastern MA Hospital Net due to problems with our antenna/cable. We would appreciate it if another Hospital Group or EOC would take Net Control duties for the May Net. Please let us know if you are able to do so. Below are the repeaters we have available for our use. Let us know which three  or four repeaters you would like to use and we will make all the notifications. We’ll also send you a copy of our net preamble if you …

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All

Eastern MA ARRL Staff Meet, April 28, 2018

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Members of the Eastern MA ARRL staff held a quarterly meeting on April 28, 2018 at the WGBH complex in Brighton from 10 AM to 3 PM. The agenda included discussions about the annual Section plan, review of features of the new web site, the new Facebook page; affiliated club annual reports, NTS accomplishments, and possible ARES improvements. The meeting culminated in a fascinating tour of the WGBH studios and engineering facilities, courtesy host Dan Brown, W1DAN, a WGBH employee. 

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Public Service

Volunteers Sought for YMCA Middleboro Run and Walk, June 2, 2018

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Ham volunteers are requested for communications for the 18th Annual Middleboro YMCA Tispaquin Run And Woody’s Walk 2018.  “We meet at the Dunkin Donuts at Route 28 and 105 (Middleboro) at 7:30 AM for assignments and get in position around 8 AM.  Usually the last of us are out around 11 AM, or as soon as the last running/walker is past your position,” explains John Miller, N1UMJ. “This is an easy event, and a hand held is all you need–though if you want, you can park at most positions and use your mobile.” If you can assist with the event, …

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Public Information

Invitation to Meet and Greet Marconi’s daughter, Princess Elettra Marconi, May 31, 2018

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​Barbara Dougan, N1NS writes: Hello amateur radio operators and friends, On May 31, 2018 at 10 am, you are invited to a meet and greet with Marconi’s daughter, Princess Elettra Marconi at Cape Cod National Seashore.  The plan is to arrive about 10 am and gather to stand along the entrance walkway when the Princess arrives about 10:30 am (or indoors if the weather is bad). Location: Cape Cod National Seashore’s Headquarters Building 99 Marconi Site Rd, Wellfleet, MA  02667 Princess Marconi is now 86 years young, this may be one of her last visits to Cape Cod National Seashore.  I hope you will join us in welcoming …

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Public Service

Rocky Neck 5K Walk/Run Team Challenge, Gloucester, May 6, 2018

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Chris Winczewski, K1TAT writes on the Cape Ann ARA mailing list: We are looking for operators to staff the Rocky Neck 5K Walk/Run Team Challenge on Sunday, May 6th 10:00 AM. Please let me know if you can staff a communications check-point for the event by Thursday, May 4th so I can plan staffing positions for the event. Please let us know what type of equipment you plan to use (i.e.: Mobile; HT; ¼-Wave Mag-Mount; OEM Rubber-Duck; etc.) so we have a better idea of where to locate you along the event course per the potential of your equipment. The …

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Emergency Communications / Licensing Education & Training

SKYWARN Training at Sturdy Memorial Hospital ARC, May 15, 2018

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SKYWARN training will be offered at the Sturdy Memorial Hospital ARC on May 15 from 7-9 PM. According to SMHARC’s Ray Cord, K2TGX, “This is both training for new SKYWARN spotters as well as re-certification training for existing spotters. The training is in lieu of the regular ARES and general club meetings. It will be conducted by the Amateur Radio SKYWARN Coordinator in the Sturdy Memorial Hospital Rice-Webb Auditorium, 211 Park Street, Attleboro. 

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Operating

Web Resources: Radio Amateur Call Books on Archive.org

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Bruce Blain, K1BG writes in the April, 2018 Nashoba Valley ARC Signal: I’m constantly asked “how do I research an old callsign” or “my uncle who lived in Joplin MO in the 1950’s was a ham, but I can’t remember his callsign. How can I find it?” Well, there is an interesting site that is informally known as “The Wayback Machine”, and they have scanned a large number of documents. Among those are many (many) call books. The site is archive.org, and by clicking on https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A %22callbook%22. You can search their documents based on the keyword “callbook”. The search gives …

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Affiliated Clubs / Emergency Communications / Public Service

Sturdy ARES Exercise at World War 1 Memorial Park, April 22, 2018

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Members of the Sturdy Memorial Hospital ARC ARES group held a drill in World War 1 Memorial Park in North Attleboro on  Sunday, April 22, 2018 at 10:30 AM.  As it coincided with Earth Day, the participants also volunteered to help clean up the park.  For many years the venue has used by SMH ARC for its annual Field Day event. (Thanks, sturdyradioclub.org)

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Operating / Technical

New England Wolf Pack Fusion Net

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Brian Gudzevich, WO1VES writes on the NSRA mailing list:   This is for all the Fusion radio owners out there, as well as some DMR and Echolink users.  I am starting a new monthly Fusion net on the last Friday of every month at 8:00 PM Eastern Time.  The first net will be this Friday, April 27th.  It will be based on the main repeater of the Wolf Pack Repeater System, the 147.075 WA1RHN repeater in Stoneham, Mass.   The net will be called the New England Wolf Pack Fusion Net.  This will be a New England centric net, and will cover topics …

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Public Service

Westford Apple Blossom Parade Ham Volunteers Needed, May 12, 2018

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The Police Amateur Radio Team of Westford is seeking volunteers for the Apple Blossom Parade Communications Event on Saturday, May 12, 2018.  “If you’ve never done a public service event, this is a great first time event. We will pair you up with a “veteran” ham so you get the chance to be part of a team,” says Terry Stader, KA8SCP. “Parades are always fun… so why not join us on a Saturday morning, bring the kids and your XYL, bring mom and dad, enjoy.” The parade starts around 10 AM near the junction of Graniteville Road and Main Street and ending at Abbot …

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Emergency Communications / Licensing Education & Training

2018 NWS Boston/Norton SKYWARN Training Class Schedule

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Rob Macedo, KD1CY writes on the SKYWARN_Announce list: The following is the 2018 NWS Boston/Norton SKYWARN Training Class Schedule for the spring season. Additional SKYWARN Training classes are in planning. This includes a class in Waltham which will be posted by the end of next week. a class in Windham County CT and a class in the Swanesa, Mass area. There will also be a slate of SKYWARN classes in the Fall of this year. Links to the classes schedules are listed below: NWS Boston/Norton Web Site SKYWARN Class Schedule: http://www.weather.gov/box/skywarn#fragment-2 WX1BOX SKYWARN Training Class Schedule: http://wx1box.org/2018/04/20/special-announcement-2018-nws-boston-norton-skywarn-training-class-schedule/ The complete listing …

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Emergency Communications / Public Service

Amateurs Provide Communications at Seabrook Graded Exercise, April 4, 2018

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Amateurs at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Region One Headquarters in Tewksbury provided communications resources during a recent Seabrook Station Graded Exercise. “Since 1991, when the Seabrook nuclear power plant first came online, local hams have provided communications resources to the various local and state emergency management agencies,” writes Terry Stader, KA8SCP, Communications Coordinator. “This is a different role than some of the public service events many hams participate in. Our role as communicators is varied from the typical using two way radios to FAX, TTY and telephone switchboard operations. Our regular single-shift operations require five communicators. All operators get …

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Public Information / Youth

Volunteers Requested, Ham Radio Demo at Boy Scout Camp Squanto, May 5, 2018

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Jack Foley, N1QE is requesting 6-12 hams to assist with an Amateur Radio “emergency communications information station” at Camp Squanto on Saturday, May 5 from 9 AM to 4 PM. Foley is a former Scoutmaster and currently serves as a District Commissioner. He’s also the trustee of the BSA Camp Squanto Radio Club, W1CSQ. The Camp is located in Plymouth. “This would be one of a dozen or so stations dealing with treating wounds, first aid, etcetera. Ours would deal with emergency communications.” If you can help in demonstrating ham radio and talking to scouts about emergency communications, please contact …

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Licensing Education & Training

Amateur Extra License Class, Whitman, April 10-May 29, 2018

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The Whitman Amateur Radio Club is offering an Amateur Extra License Class beginning Tuesday, April 10, 2018 at the Whitman Police Station, 20 Essex Street, Whitman from 7-9 PM.  The class will meet each Tuesday and Thursday and culminate in an exam session on May 29.  The training coordinator is Ross Hochstrasser, W1EKG. He can be reached at: (781) 447-9104 or email at: bavarianradio@comcast.net. Ross follows the ARRL published license manual. He reviews the exam questions, discusses the answers, and takes any questions from the students. He also uses an online flashcard system projected at the front of the class for question review, presented with …

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Affiliated Clubs

Eastern MA Club Speakers List

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Attention club officers: The Eastern Massachusetts ARRL web site maintains a list of club presentations and speakers for use by affiliated clubs. The list is divided into two categories: A listing of speakers who have registered with local ARRL section leadership to present on ham related talks to any club within a designated traveling area; A “historical” listing of speakers who have presented–or will present–at a radio club on the date listed.  The latter “historical” category contains over five years of information. (Note: Inclusion in the historical section does not indicate a willingness or availability on the speaker’s part to present …

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Emergency Communications / Public Service

Storm & Boston Marathon Weather Coordination Message #3 – Sunday Evening April 15th 2018-Monday April 16th 2018

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Hello to all… ..Winter to be felt through early Monday Morning followed by heavy rain and strong winds with isolated thunderstorms for Patriots Day/Marathon Monday. This is a combined Storm & Boston Marathon Weather Coordination Message and these will continue to be combined through potentially Monday Morning.. ..A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through 8 AM Monday for Franklin, Western Hampshire, Western Hampden, Northern Worcester and Northern Middlesex Counties of Massachusetts for up to 0.20″ radial ice accumulations and result in slippery road conditions. If 0.20″ or more of icing occurs, isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated power outages may develop.. ..A …

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