Month: August 2019

Operating

KD1D Fox Out for the Weekend in Westford

- by k9hi - 1 Comment

Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on the foxhunting list on August 30, 2019 at 4:24 PM: The KD1D Fox transmitter is OTA as of 1600 EDT on Friday Aug 30.  Since it’s a holiday weekend, I made it fairly easy to find in the  Nutting Road area [of Westford]. Very little bushwhacking should be required. I am working on some new enclosures that allow the use of a bigger  battery, but for now, I expect it to run for at least 2 days. Happy Hunting and a great Labor Day Weekend to all! 73 de KD1D

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Youth

Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) Station Registration Now Available

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From ARRLWeb: Registration now is open for stations to register for Scouting’s 2019 Jamboree on the Air (JOTA). JOTA will take place October 18 – 20. JOTA is Scouting’s largest event in the world and always takes place over the third weekend of October. Click on “Sign Up Now” and register using your free Scout.org user id. Use the same site to register for the 2019 Jamboree on the Internet (JOTI). Bill Stearns, NE4RD, has been named the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) National Jamboree on the Air Task Force Chair. He has activated a number of JOTA and Scout Camp …

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Affiliated Clubs

Billerica ARS Special Program: QSL Sorting, September 4, 2019

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Andy Wallace, KA1GTT, writes on the BARS website, at https://www.w1hh.org/next-bars-meeting-wednesday-september-4-2019-at-700pm-eric-kv1j-qsl-sort-and-free-pizza/: Everyone, I am pleased to announce that yet again we will have our annual QSL sort and pizza party! Eric Williams, KV1J, is a volunteer for the W1 QSL Bureau, sponsored by the Yankee Clipper Contest Club. http://www.w1qsl.org/ http://yccc.org/ The W1 QSL Bureau is a service which accepts incoming QSLs from overseas and redistributes them to U.S. hams in the W1 call district – 100,000 of them per year! Each card coming in must be sorted by first-letter-after-the-1 to prepare them for their final destinations to hams who have paid …

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Affiliated Clubs

MITRE-Bedford ARC Will Hold Reorganizational Meeting, August 29, 2019

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Adam Jenkins, AB1N, writes on the MITRE-Bedford mailing list: The MITRE Bedford Amateur Radio Club will hold a meeting on Thursday, August 29, 2019, from 12-12:30 pm for the purposes of holding a special election for new officers, and voting on a proposed constitution/bylaw amendment (to remove paying dues as a requirement for membership). The club has been dormant for several years, so to the best of my understanding, all former memberships (which were based on annual payment of dues) and officers (which were 1-year terms tied to active membership) have lapsed. As a former officer of the club, I …

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Emergency Communications / Licensing Education & Training / Organization

Efforts Continue to Enhance ARES Program, Add Resources

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The ARRL Board of Directors, committees, and Headquarters administrative staff are continuing efforts to enhance the venerable Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) program. A major ARES Plan has been adopted, providing new direction going forward. In addition, a standardized training plan has been adopted and a new ARES Emergency Communicator Individual Task Book approved and published. At its July meeting, the ARRL Board considered the report of its Public Service Enhancement Working Group (PSEWG). A “change log” was proposed for the Task Book that will highlight changes made as the document is periodically revised and updated. ARES position guidelines were posted to the online ARES Workbook and a major revision …

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Public Service

Ham Assistance Requested, Marlborough Labor Day Parade, September 2, 2019

- by k9hi - 1 Comment

Ed Fitzgerald, K1DIN, writes on the Algonquin ARC mailing list:   This email is intended for AARC members who have not participated as security observers before in the Marlborough Labor Day Parade. We usually have our members posted at 12 to14 locations throughout the Parade and connected via the repeater to Net Control. Our mission is to report emergencies or anything unusual to Net Control which is in direct contact with MPD Dispatch and has the MPD Incident Commander in close proximity. All observers have MPD Officers assigned nearby who are in touch with Dispatch. In short, an observer reports …

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Public Service

Amateur Radio Support for Baystate Marathon & Half Marathon, Lowell, October 20, 2019

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Terry Stader, KA8SCP, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list: Amateur Radio operators have been asked once again to support the Baystate Marathon and Half Marathon. This year the event is on Sunday, October 20th. Our operational time period is from approximately 0700 until event completion (estimated 1400). Our assistance has been requested by Lowell Office of Emergency Management and Lowell Fire Department. The communications team will be employing Amateur Radio to provide this communications asset. Amateur Radio will be used for:       * Accountability net: the purpose of this net is to coordinate with a race public information …

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Licensing Education & Training / Youth

New England Sci-Tech General Class Course, Natick, August 24-25, 2019

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For junior high and high school students, homeschool students, and adults who already have a Technician level license, this fast-paced, two-day course will get you ready to take the GENERAL license exam. Topics range from the science of radio electronics to the FCC rules governing the radio spectrum.  Some preliminary reading and study is necessary to get the best results from this course. Material will be sent approximately a week before the course. The GENERAL level course runs Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm and Sunday, 9 am to 1 pm, followed by the FCC General exam at noon, at New England Sci-Tech, 16 Tech …

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Licensing Education & Training / Youth

New England Sci-Tech Technician License Course, September 21-22, 2019

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For junior high and high school students, homeschool students, and adults interested in wireless communications and electronics, this fast-paced, two-day course will get you ready to take the Amateur Radio Technician license exam. Topics range from the science of radio electronics to the FCC rules governing the radio spectrum. Some preliminary reading and study is necessary to get the best results from this course. Material will be sent a few days before the course. The Technician level course runs on Saturday, 9 AM-4 PM and Sunday, 9 AM-1 PM, followed by the FCC Technician exam at 1:00, at New England Sci-Tech, …

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Licensing Education & Training

Dayton Hamvention Radio Club of the Year to Hold Ham Bootcamp at New England Convention

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From ARRL Web: “The Nashua (New Hampshire) Area Radio Society (NARS) will conduct a free Ham Bootcamp at the ARRL New England Division Convention next month to encourage and assist new and inexperienced radio amateurs in becoming more active and engaged in the various facets of ham radio. NARS, the Dayton Hamvention® Club of the Year for 2019, operated a guest exhibit for ARRL at this year’s show. It will also sponsor a Ham Expo for Young People at the New England Division Convention, with hands-on activities, videos, and displays about Amateur Radio and wireless communication.” [Full story]

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Licensing Education & Training

Falmouth ARA Technician Course, October 12-26, 2019

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UPDATE 10/6/19: The FARA Executive Board has decided to cancel the Technician class scheduled for this month and reschedule the class during March, 2020.   The Falmouth Amateur Radio Association (FARA) will be offering a Technician class amateur radio license course on October 12, 19, and 26, 2019 at the Falmouth Fire Station, Main Street, 2nd Floor, EOC Room.  The fee is $50 and includes:   Nine hours of classroom instruction Course Manual Online test practice and tutoring Refreshments Access to instructors for questions & tutoring License exam One-year membership with FARA Admission to the 2019 FARAFest, amateur radio flea …

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All

Northeast HamXposition @Boxboro 2019 Forum Schedule Now Online

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Bob DeMattia, K1IW, writes: The forum schedule for the Northeast HamXposition @Boxboro! 2019 is now available on our website.  On it you will find a wide variety of topics – everything from antique radio to the newest technology.   There are technical presentations and speakers that will tell you about all sorts of ham activities. All new for this year is “Ham Bootcamp.”  Just got your license, or know someone who just got theirs and doesn’t know what to do with it?  Join the bootcamp and join the fun! Another new addition this year is Sunday morning music band and brunch.  …

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Affiliated Clubs / Public Service

Algonquin ARC, Marlborough EMA Support for Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day, September 14, 2019

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Eric Williams, KV1J, writes on the Algonquin ARC mailing list: To: Algonquin Radio Club and Marlborough EMA Team Please mark your calendars for our support of the biannual joint Hudson-Marlborough Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Saturday, September 14th.  Our support is a combined effort by the Algonquin Amateur Radio Club and the Marlborough Emergency Management Team.  Using our radio communications skills, we manage the traffic flow and validate residency for the approximately 400 cars that come to the event.  We use the Emergency Management’s UHF radios.  If you have them, please bring your Ham UHF portable radio since we …

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NTS

MASSACHUSETTS TRAFFIC REPORT FOR JULY 2019

- by kw1u - Leave a Comment

As noted last month we lost two of our fellow traffic handlers and friends in the month of July. Jim Ward N1LKJ and Greg Bennett KC1CIC are both greatly missed.   The nets continue on however and we welcome Peter Doherty KC1HHO as the new net manager of the EM2MN.  Peter is interested in training and we plan to incorporate that into the net.  We welcome all to participate in this net as we do all our traffic nets, but we feel it is important for fellow amateurs to have the skills in accurate message handling and net operation and …

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All

Flea at MIT, Cambridge, August 18, 2019

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Steve Finberg, W1GSL, writes: The July FLEA at MIT is this coming Sunday, August 18, 2019   Also known as SWAPFEST it is held in MIT’s Albany St garage near the corner of Albany and Main St in Cambridge.   It features “hi tech” goodies such as electronics, computers and ham radio,”all things nerdly.”   We have had real Enigma machines to a NASA Gemini spacecraft  show up.   It starts at 9 AM for buyers and runs till 2 PM,  be early for the  good stuff.   All vendors are in the covered garage, which makes a weather proof event.   …

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Licensing Education & Training

ARRL Volunteer Exams at Northeast HamXposition, September 7-8, 2019

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Three volunteer exam sessions will be conducted by an ARRL VEC-accredited team at the Northeast HamXposition (“Boxboro”) at the following times: Saturday, September 7, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM Saturday, September 7, 1:00 PM-5:00 PM Sunday,  September 8, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM All sessions will be held in the Deck Room of the Boxboro Regency Hotel & Conference Center (Formerly the Boxboro Holiday Inn), 242 Adams Place, Boxborough, MA 01719, Phone: 978-263-8701.  No pre-registration is required. For more information, visit https://hamxposition.org/get-licensed.

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Operating

Fox in Hiding, Westford, August 10, 2019

- by k9hi - 1 Comment

Andy Stewart, KB1OIQ, writes on the fox-hunting list at 10:53 AM on August 10, 2019: Fox hunters: get ready! I am headed out shortly to hide two foxes in Westford.  Get your gear ready for 2m and 80m fox hunting! I will send another email in an hour or so with a clue about the location. — Wait until 12:30 PM before fox hunting in Westford.  The highly encrypted clue uses the ROT1 decrpytion algorithm. BCDE_UFYBT_SPBE_BCDE

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