Mindy Hull, KM1NDY, writes on the Boston ARC list:
Special Event Station W1E is going live this Saturday for the 2nd Annual “Hams All-Holidays On-Air Celebration!”
Born more than a slight bit out of the pain and frustration that the pandemic was causing, AA1F and I wanted a way to celebrate all of the holidays and special occasions that COVID stole from all of us in 2020. Ironically, many of you will remember, that a COVID scare canceled the actual public part of this public event, and AA1F and I operated it as a duo instead.
Well, cue 2021, because we are back at it! Same place, same time as we were going to do it last year. SO! If you have had enough with holiday shopping, traveling, and gift wrapping, head over to Hopkinton State Park sometime after 11am and sometime before 3pm, and enjoy a bit of portable radio at its finest!
Here are the details:
WHO:
You, your family, your friends, your dog, your iguana.
WHAT:
The 2nd Annual Hams All-Holidays On-Air Celebration (Special Event Station W1E)
WHERE:
Hopkinton State Park. Use the Main Entrance at 164 Cedar St., Hopkinton, MA 01748. Follow Maps (attached).
PARKING:
Park in large lot at boat launch. We will meet in a grove of trees with picnic tables near the beach at the end of the parking lot that is the farthest from where you entered it. See maps.
GPS COORDINATES OF EXACT MEETING SPOT:
42°15’30.7″N 71°31’01.8″W ( 42.258539, -71.517168 )
WHEN:
Saturday, December 18, 2021 from 11am to 3pm (or around that time).
WHY:
To celebrate ALL OF THE HOLIDAYS! And play radio with friends…
WEATHER:
Doesn’t look great right now unfortunately. Swing by and say hello anyway. We should have shelters set up.
Doesn’t look great right now unfortunately. Swing by and say hello anyway. We should have shelters set up.
WHAT TO BRING?
Comfort items like warm clothes, food, drinks, chair. There should be picnic tables available.
A handheld 2M radio if you have one.
WHAT ABOUT RADIO STUFF?
We will have everything you need to get on the air. Otherwise, bring whatever rig/antenna for any mode/band you’d like. We will have band pass filters for most of the HF bands, so bring an extra coax jumper cable if you are bringing your own equipment. The band pass filters help us operate simultaneously without interfering with one another.
WHAT FREQUENCY WILL THE GROUP USE/MONITOR?
146.52
PARKS ON THE AIR (POTA)?
Hopkinton State Park is also a POTA site! Activation code K-2440. AA1F and I plan on operating W1E as a dual POTA and Special Event Station. If you want to start getting POTA points, you need to make 10 contacts using your call sign.
Hopkinton State Park is also a POTA site! Activation code K-2440. AA1F and I plan on operating W1E as a dual POTA and Special Event Station. If you want to start getting POTA points, you need to make 10 contacts using your call sign.
Please sign up for POTA by clicking the login tab (on two different screens) here: https://parksontheair.com/
All modes and bands count for POTA!
“BUT, I AM ONLY A TECHNICIAN…”
So? We will get you on HF if you want anyway! AA1F and I are both Extras, and happy to act as control operators.
“I DON’T WANT TO GO OUT. I WANT TO STAY IN. GET THINGS DONE.”
First off, do you know what song this is??? Second, then get on the air and hunt us down! We look forward to hearing from you! And we are sending QSL cards automatically to each and everyone who contacts us.
So, you guys probably know how I feel about these things. I like our events to be as simple for you guys as possible. So as always, show up when you want, hang out, and leave when you want. And have a whole bunch of fun in between.
Yours truly,
KM1NDY
