Northeastern University Wireless Club Active in 2021 ARRL CW Sweepstakes

The Northeastern University Wireless Club (W1KBN) in Boston was QRV in this past weekend’s ARRL CW Sweepstakes Contest.  YCCC member Marty Sullaway, NN1C, spent “a few hours playing around between homework assignments and such.”  He adds, “[It was] fun to try out our new JK Antennas MidTri-40. Considering we are located in downtown Boston, we seem to hear okay, and I felt loud.”

Marty worked a total of 265 stations and 84 sections for a score of 44,520. 

Time Change for Daytime First Region Net (SSB)

With the time change to Standard Time, effective Sunday November 7, the daytime First Region Net (FRN) of the National Traffic System will meet at 1400 and 1530 Local time on 3950 Khz.  This coincides with the change for Eastern Area Net (EAN) to 1430 Local on 7222 Khz.  These changes will be in effect until the return to Daylight Savings Time in the spring.  FRN is open primarily to liaison stations from the sections of New England and other stations with traffic, for the exchange of traffic within New England and through liaison to the Eastern Area Net.  Message traffic brought to the earlier region net at 1400 can be relayed through EAN to all parts of the US and Canada.

Technician Parks On The Air Event, Blue Hills Reservation, November 20, 2021

Parks On The Air logoThe Boston Amateur Radio Club is hosting a Technician Class POTA day on November 20th at Chickatawbut Hill. Included is a press release for you to include in your club newsletter should you see fit.  All hams are welcome to attend. 
 
After the event Join us at the 110 Grill in Braintree afterwards for some food and drinks! Please include in your email if you will be joining us at 110 Grill so we can make a proper reservation.
 
 
Brendan Baldonado
President 
Boston Amateur Radio Club
 
 

Boston Amateur Radio Club Announces a Technician POTA Day, November 20th 10:30 am.

The Boston Amateur Radio Club will host a Parks On The Air (POTA) event with a special invitation to Technician license holders and new hams on November 20th, 2021. The event will take place in the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton at the Mount Chickatawbut summit. We will attempt to “activate” the park according to POTA rules using VHF, UHF, and the Technician
segments of the HF bands.

Bring your handheld and any other radio you want to try out on the summit. The club will provide some power sources and a few different antennas for you to experiment with.

You will also have an opportunity to operate on six and ten meters. Brendan, NW1S, and Joe, NV1W, will be on hand to answer questions and help introduce you to amateur radio in the great outdoors. There will even be prizes for accomplishments things like most contacts made, farthest contact, and most Technician bands used. Afterwards there will be a social event of food and drinks. You may park at a lower parking lot and hike the short path to the summit. The Boston Amateur Radio club is attempting to organize a car to bring those who cannot or wish to not walk the distance to the summit. Further information on the Blue Hills can be found at https://friendsofthebluehills.org.

Please email Brendan, NW1S at nw1s.brendan@gmail.com if you’re planning to attend.

Join us at the 110 Grill in Braintree afterwards for some food and drinks! Please include in your email if you will be joining us at 110 Grill so we can make a proper reservation.

We look forward to seeing you at the summit! Updates on the Tech POTA Day can be found at BARC.org, and @W1BOS on Facebook and Twitter.

Do you want to participate without making the trek up Mount Chickatawbut? You can hunt our operators on Saturday. Look for us on the POTA.app spot page, the @W1BOS Twitter or on the National Calling Frequencies. We invite your club to get on the Air with our Technicians and test out your VHF and UHF Equipment.

# # #

KD1D Fox is Out and About in Westford, November 6, 2021

Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on NEMassFoxHunters list on November 6, 2021 at 10:05 AM:
 

The KD1D Fox decided it would be a good day to test our direction-finding skills.

As usual, the Fox is transmitting on 146.565 MHz FM at about 50 mW, with a 20-30 second message repeating every 60 seconds.

The transmitter is somewhere in the vicinity of the Stone Arch  Trail in Westford, MA.. For additional information and a map of the area, check out:

https://westfordconservationtrust.org/tws_holding/stone-arch-trail/

For additional guidance, email me at kd1d@arrl.net

73 and good hunting from KD1D, Alan

KC5HWB: “Getting Started with Allstar,” November 11, 2021

Allstar Link logoPresented by Jason Johnston, KC5HWB, of Ham Radio 2.0 – November 11, 2021 at 3:30 PM ET

Allstar is an internet-based connection network for linking repeaters and nodes. It can be used by home operators or with large-area repeaters. Today you will learn the basics of Allstar, how to get started with it, and how you can start using it yourself.

Register for this webinar at <https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XvqWBSwrTJKhp8_zbAZI2g?fbclid=IwAR0GIVnpdNFrh7NvndaDUwZZ32hTVB1sRxmeJrRlGmIurCqVCxnZSrGFyHQ>

K1MJC Fox is On the Loose in Waltham, November 5, 2021

Mike Cormier, K1MJC, writes on the Waltham ARA list and NEMassFoxHunters list at 4:45 PM on November 5, 2021:

Yes, the K1MJC Fox is out yet again!

Well, I checked the weather and decided to take a chance it’s looking OK, perhaps maybe a bit chilly and some clouds Sunday afternoon.

The fox is in somewhere in an area within the City limits of WalthamMA. 

I’ve decided to up my game, and placed in such a way so as to limit your   Prospects   in finding it!

As usual, it will be retrieved before Sundown Sunday.

One of The maps on this page would prove useful!

https://walthamlandtrust.org/trail-guides/

Happy hunting!

Mike C. K1MJC 73
 
 
 
 

Saturday November 6,2021 Eastern MA Hospital Net

John O’Neill – K1JRO writes:

Good afternoon Everyone,

Net Control for the November 6, 2021 Eastern MA Hospital Net will be W1SSH the South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group. The net will commence at the usual time of 10: AM using the following repeaters / frequencies in the order listed.

1. W. Bridgewater 146.775 dcs 244
2. Attleboro 147.195 tone 127.3 (Sturdy Memorial Hospital)
3. Dartmouth 147.000 tone 67.0
4. DMR on the NEDECN Boston, Hingham, Bourne, Dennis, and Martha’s Vineyard repeaters. TG:8851 TS:1

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 check for doubling, then give your or your facilities call sign, your first name, and your facility’s name.

We extend an invitation to any health care facility or EOC of any city or town that is served by one of the participating hospitals to join the Net. We also extend an invitation to any RACES or ARES member to check in during the NET.

We are always looking for groups or organizations to try their hand at Net Control duties. If you are interested in joining the group please let us know. We can be reached by sending an email to ssharg@outlook.com. The goal is to rotate Net Control practice and the experience among as many individuals and groups as possible.

We thank the repeater trustees for their generosity in allowing us to conduct the monthly nets and the use of their systems in an actual event. The following list of repeaters is available for our use. Only a few systems are used each month with the selection of those used made by Net Control for that month. More systems are being added to the list on a regular basis.

Repeaters
Attleboro 147.195 tone 127.3 (Sturdy Memorial Hospital)
Belmont 145.430 tone 146.2
Boston 145.230 tone encode 88.5 tone decode 100.0
Bridgewater 147.180 tone 67.0
Danvers 145.47 tone 136.5
Dartmouth 147.000 tone 67.0
Fall River 146.805. tone 67.0
Falmouth 147.375 tone 110.9
Mansfield EMA 446.925 tone 100.0
Mansfield 147.015 tone 67.0
Marshfield 145.390 tone 67.0
Norwood 147.210 tone 100.00
Plymouth 146.685 tone 131.8
Salem 146.88 tone 118.8
Sharon 146.865 tone 103.5
Weymouth 147.345 tone 110.9 (South Shore Hospital)
W. Bridgewater 146.775 dcs 244
Wrentham 147.09 tone 146.2

We look forward to hearing from you all on the Net.

Respectfully,

John O’Neill – K1JRO
_._,_._,_

ARRL 2021 Election Ballots

ARRL logovia ARRL Members list:

By now you should have received your ballot to vote for your Division Director election.

Ballots are due in Newington by 11/19, so mailing them now is important given the issues being reported about the USPS.

Of the thousands of ballots mailed, we did receive reports of some ballots taking until the end of last week to arrive. This, again, is a reflection of the USPS and their treatment of bulk mail this year.

If you have NOT received your ballot, contact us TODAY or TOMORROW! We will get a replacement ballot out to you immediately via First Class mail.

You can send your request for a replacement to dmiddleton@arrl.org.

Morse Code Skills Kick Off Meeting, November 2, 2021

Bencher electronic keyerTwo club presidents are collaborating on a project to help amateurs develop their Morse code skills. Bruce Blain, K1BG, president of the Nashoba Valley ARC and Tom Walsh, K1TW, the Billerica ARS president, are spearheading the effort.

“Bruce and I have talked a number of times over the past year about helping those who have expressed an interest in learning CW or further developing their CW skills,” writes Tom. “We will have a kickoff meeting on Tuesday, November 2, at 7 PM.   

[For Zoom conference details, email Tom Walsh, K1TW, at k1tw -at- comcast -dot- net.]