Month: November 2018

Operating

KC1DKY Fox Deployed, Chelmsford, November 30, 2018

- by k9hi - 1 Comment

Nick Mollo, KC1DKY, writes on the fox-hunting list: The KC1DKY fox is once again out and about in Chelmsford on town land.  Fox is on 146.565 MHz.  Send a DTMF of 1 to activate the fox.  If the fox does not seem to be responding, send a couple DTMF # and then a 1 to possibly whack it back into shape.  The fox will signal for 30 seconds and be silent for 15 seconds, and repeat for 15 minutes.  The fox is located about a quarter of a mile from the parking area and only about 30 ft. in from …

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Emergency Communications

Eastern MA Hospital Net, December 1, 2018

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

John O’Neill, K1JRO writes: Net Control for the December 1, 2018 Eastern MA Hospital Net will be  W1SSH The South Shore Hospital Amateur Radio Club . The net will  commence at the usual time of 10 AM using the following repeaters in the  order listed.  W. Bridgewater 146.775 DCS 244 Salem 146.88 tone 118.8 Marshfield 145.390 tone 67.0 Simplex 147.42 The Net will then return to the  W. Bridgewater Repeater for final comments and Net closing. NET Protocol: Please wait for Net Control to ask for Check-ins. When asked to check in please use the standard net check in procedure which is:   Here is.., un-key, wait 3 seconds to …

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Affiliated Clubs

International Museum of World War II, Natick

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Rob, WA1UMU, writes in the Wellesley ARS “The Spark Gap”, November, 2018: I had a terrific visit to the WWII Museum in Natick recently.  To my surprise, they had a lot of radio gear including this biscuit tin radio, which reminded me of Bruce, KC1FSZ’s peppermint bark tin QRP rig at Field Day. The founder of the museum, Kendall Rendell, states: “The mission of the Museum is to have people gain a sense of direct contact with the World War II generation, to see them as people ourselves today, to identify with their concerns and fears, to understand what caused …

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Licensing Education & Training

“Virtual Elmer” Project Envisioned

- by k9hi - 1 Comment

Gerry Hull, W1VE, writes on the YCCC reflector: There’s a Facebook Group called “Ham Radio – New to the Hobby”. I’ve seen many posts in this group with people stating “I’ve had my General or Extra for a while.  However, I’ve never had an HF QSO.” Reasons? – Don’t know how to use the radio.– Don’t know the procedure for making a QSO– Mic fright.– Don’t want to screw up and get in trouble with the FCC. Lots of these guys are outside any club territory. So, I created a poll on that site this morning.   Here’s what I got …

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Affiliated Clubs / Operating

YCCC Net, Wednesdays at 8 PM

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Bill Barber, NE1B, writes on the YCCC reflector: For those of you who have a DMR radio, we have setup a net on Wednesday nights, available on the 91 New England Network repeaters.  It is basically an intercom covering ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, and areas of NY (Albany, Mt. Beacon, Long Island).  Access by NETAC1 (New England TAC1 – “Talk Group” 8801).  Just key PTT to activate and call-in. Additional info available on http://nedecn.org

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Public Service

SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) 2018 Friday Evening 11/30/18 at 7 PM Through Saturday 12/1/18 at 7 PM

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Rob Macedo, KD1CY writes on wx1box.org: The following is a special announcement on SKYWARN Recognition Day 2018. This announcement will be updated either Thursday Evening 11/29/18 or Friday Morning 11/30/18. **We hope all SKYWARN Spotters and Amateur Radio Operators had a very Happy Thanksgiving. On behalf of the NWS Boston/Norton forecasters and the entire WX1BOX Amateur Radio Team, we are fortunate to have such a strong and vibrant program with the support of all of you in the field and we appreciate another tremendous of year of service in weather spotting for the community. Thanks for all you do for …

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Emergency Communications / Public Service

October 2018 – Eastern Massachusetts Section ARES Report

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

The following is the Eastern Massachusetts Section ARES Report for October 2018 highlighting the number of community or public service events, regular ARES nets (under training and exercises) and SKYWARN Activations completed in the section in the past month. The report can be seen here: https://ema.arrl.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ARES-Monthly-Section-Emergency-Coordinators-Report_ARES-004_KD1CY_October_2018.pdf Respectfully Submitted, Robert Macedo (KD1CY) ARES SKYWARN Coordinator Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM) Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM) Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM) Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com http://ares.ema.arrl.org http://www.wx1box.org Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/wx1box Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/wx1box

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Public Service

Request For Operators YuKanRun Happy Holidays Half MerryThon, Gloucester, December 2, 2018

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Christopher Winczewski, K1TAT, writes on the CAARA list: CAARA has a great public service team. Come out and have some fun with us. You are using amateur radio to provide a needed public service to ensure the safety and smooth running of a public event in local communities. I would, but I do not have a radio. No excuse, we have loaner radio’s available with a mag mount that will work in your car just by just plugging it into the cigarette lighter socket. We have loaner hand held radios as well! I don’t have transportation. No excuse, we will …

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Affiliated Clubs / Operating / Public Information

Whitman ARC Plimoth Plantation Special Event Operation, November 24-25, 2018

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Whitman Amateur Radio Club members, assisted by other area amateurs, will set up tables and a portable station over the Thanksgiving weekend and operate a special events station at the Plimoth Plantation, the home of the Mayflower II in Plymouth, Massachusetts.  The participants will demonstrate Amateur Radio to tourists and visitors.  In the past the group has logged over a hundred HF and VHF contacts with US and foreign amateurs, including a contact with Plymouth, England. This year’s event will be held on November 24-25, 2018. Setup takes place on Friday, November 23 at 10 AM at the Plantation’s lower parking lot. On-air …

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Affiliated Clubs

Quannapowitt Radio Association Turns 70 Years “Young” on November 19

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Don Melanson, KA1MAP, QRA President writes: The ARRL-affiliated Quannapowitt Radio Association (QRA), a general interest ham radio club founded November 19, 1948, is still active and open to new members. The club celebrates its 70th birthday at the December 20, 2018 meeting at 7 pm. In this current day of computers and the internet, this is a truly unusual achievement. The QRA was founded by members of a World War II home front emergency communications organization known as the War Emergency Radio Service. After the end of WWII the WERS was disbanded, but the members reorganized themselves as an amateur …

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Organization

ARRL New England Director Election Results Announced

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ARRL has announced the results of contested elections for Director and Vice Director. Ballots were opened and counted on November 16 in seven contests within five ARRL Divisions. In the New England Division Director contest,  Lincoln, MA amateur Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, edged out incumbent Tom Frenaye, K1KI, by a count of 1,432  to 1,383.  Hopengarten will take office at noon on January 1, 2019.       [Full story]

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Affiliated Clubs / Operating

Boston ARC QRV for SKYWARN Recognition Day, December 1, 2018

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On December 1, 2018, and for the 16th consecutive year, [the Boston Amateur Radio Club] will once again participate in SKYWARN Recognition Day. SRD is a joint event support by the ARRL and the National Weather Service where weather stations and weather buffs from across the country contact each other for fun and to promote the SKYWARN Program.  Our station, WX1BHO, will be located at the summit of Great Blue Hill in Milton. For several decades, hams have assisted the National Weather Service by providing real-time reports of severe weather and storm conditions. Although the NWS operates a network of …

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Operating / Public Information / Youth

Western MA ARISS School Contact Draws ARRL Staffers, State, Local Officials

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ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology alumnus Mariusz Zielinski, KB1MDS, invited ARRL Lifelong Learning Manager Kris Bickell, K1BIC, Lifelong Learning Administrator Ally Riedel, KM3ALF, and ARRL Communications Content Producer Michelle Patnode, W3MVP, to witness an exciting November 2 Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with students at Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School in Palmer, Massachusetts, where Zielinski teaches. [Full story]

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Emergency Communications

Falmouth CERT Class Begins January, 2019

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The Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office has announced dates for its next winter Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program for volunteers interested in becoming a CERT member. Classes start January 15, 2019 and run six consecutive Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:30 PM through February 19, 2019. Classes are held at the Harborview Conference Room, 3195 Main Street, Barnstable Village. To qualify for CERT you must be at least 16 years of age and willing to attend each session. The BCSO CERT Program is taught by emergency personnel to train residents, community organizations or workplaces in basic response skills. CERT members …

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Public Service

KD1CY Receives Blue Hills Observatory Outstanding Service Award

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The Blue Hill Observatory awarded Rob Macedo, KD1CY, with their Outstanding Service Award on November 9, 2018. The award was presented at a Blue Hills Observatory fundraising event by meteorologist and Weather Channel personality Jim Cantore and former Weather Channel meteorologist Mish Michaels. The honor was especially meaningful for Macedo as it coincided with his birthday. “It’s both rewarding and humbling to receive [the award] in the presence of some of the most respected people in the meteorology profession,” remarked KD1CY. “It wouldn’t be possible without the support of hundreds to thousands of SKYWARN spotters and Amateur Radio operators who support the …

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Affiliated Clubs

Quannapowitt Radio Association 70th Anniversary Celebration

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The ARRL-affiliated Quannapowitt Radio Association is seventy years young this November, according to QRA President Don Melanson, KA1MAP. Melanson reports the club has decided to “combine their November 70th anniversary and December Christmas celebrations at the December meeting, to be held on December 20, 2018.” QRA’s actual birthday is November 18. The club meets at the Reading Senior Citizens Center, 49 Pleasant Street, in Reading. Kudos to QRA and its membership on this historic occasion.

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Emergency Communications

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net for Monday November 5 at 8:30 PM

- by kc1cic - Leave a Comment

Hello to all… We will be continuing our monthly ARES Net in November. The monthly ARES Net for November is Monday the 5th, at 8:30 PM on the MMRA Repeater system. 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 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 …

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Licensing Education & Training

Technician Licensing Class, Middleton, January, 2019

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Ron Draper, WA1QZK, writes: A Technician class course will be conducted in January, 2019, spanning three 3-hour sessions on January 2, 16, and 30, 2019 at the Middleton Council on Aging, 38 Maple Street, in Middleton.  Those interested can sign up and pay at the Senior Center. The deadline is December 16, 2018. The class is intended for “scouts and citizens ages 15 and up.” The cost is $35 and includes all training materials. The FCC Technician exam session will be offered at the conclusion of the course for an additional $15. 

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