Massachusetts RACES Nets – Monday 9/12/22 for HF, Region 2D VHF, NBEMS & Winlink – Times and Details Below

AB1PH-Don Rolph – Walpole area ARES Emergency Coordinator writes:

Normally the MEMA nets are held on the first Monday of ther month. For Sep the first Monday of the Month was Sep 5 which was Labor Day, so the net is pushed out 1 week,

For Sep, the the RACES nets will be held on the second Monday of the month, which is is Sep 12..

The Races nets will be held on Mon Sep 12 at:

********************************************************************************
The HF net will start at 6:45 PM EDT: using the following frequency plan:
We will start at 3930 KHz moving up to 3955 KHz until there is a clear frequency,
Marc Stern WA1R will be net control.
*********************************************************************************
Region 2D VHF net:
7:30 PM EDT VHF net on 146.865 MHz PL 103.5 (Sharon Repeater)
We will have a general call up of any RACES, ARES, or other interested stations. If there is time, we will have a simplex test.
Jeff Marden N1JCM will be net control.
********************************************************************************
HF NBEMS net:
7:00 PM EDT
Dial Frequency: 3584.5 MHx
Center Frequency: 1500 Hz
Initial mode: THOR22
We will have checkins,followed by an ICS-213 format message using FLMSG.
Phil McLaughlin KB1CYO will be net control.
*********************************************************************************
Winlink Net:

To participate:
– create a checkin form using the Winlink standard checkin form
– send via winlink after 6 AM EDT Mon. July 11 and before 0000 EDT July 12 (any mode, but include mode in checkin form) to Bryan Marcotte KF1D
– Tues I will create the checkin report and send to all of you
*************************************************************************************

We look forward to you checking in to any or all nets!


73,
AB1PH
Don Rolph
_._,_._,_

Reminder: September 12th, 2022 MEMA RACES/ACS Communications Test Net

N1YLQ-Mike “Sparky” Leger – MEMA Region 2 RACES Radio Officer and  Eastern Massachusetts ARES Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator writes:

Hello to all,

      This email is a reminder that tomorrow evening, September 12th, 2022 is the first non-holiday Monday of the month and, as such, is our RACES/ACS/Preparedness Net night. We will be holding our sector nets on the normally assigned frequencies.

      As always, I am looking for Net Control stations to staff our sector nets for the evening. This month I plan to be able to run the Sector 2A net, but if anyone is interested in trying it out, please let me know.  I am looking for NCS operators to lead the Sector 2B (Plymouth County) nets. Sector 2D has already arranged for an NCS operator for this month’s net and Sector 2C is now a Winlink only net on a monthly basis.

              For any operators interested in performing the duties of Net Control Station (NCS), there are materials available to make the task fairly simple and straight forward. The net pre-amble and role call lists are available at http://wc1mab.org/RACES_R2_Interim_Preamble.pdf and http://wc1mab.org/Month.php with the role call lists on the left column near the bottom. If anyone is worried that they mess up running a net, please remember that, in many cases, a less than perfect net is WAY better than no net at all! At the conclusion of any net, any operator that acted as Net Control Operator should send a note to WC1MAB@gmail.com letting me know who ran the net and who checked in so that the proper numbers can be reported to our served agencies. We can not always count on our normal net control operators to be available in the event of a large scale emergency, so every RACES operator should be prepared to act as NCO if needed when disaster and emergency strikes!

Winlink Net Instructions From Don Rolph: 

*Winlink Net*

To participate:

– create a checkin form using the Winlink standard checkin form

– send via winlink after 6 AM EST Mon. Sep 12th  and before midnight EST Sep 13th (any mode, but include mode in check-in form) to KF1D

   I continue to ask that any operators who have the time, please try to check into sector nets from near-by sections. This will allow our Net Control Operators to practice fielding nets with a strong check-in count and will also serve to help practice with relays or modified sector assignments in the event that a single repeater is out of service. 

   For those operators who serve as Net Control Operators, please try to remember to send me a list of the stations and communities that check into your nets. The numbers are reported to MEMA to show them our level of participation. I am continuing to work on a graphical map based report to show which parts of our section have strong coverage and which areas may need a more targeted recruitment campaign to improve our ability to provide back-up communications in an emergency.

The Region #2 and State Net Schedule for this evening is as follows:

Net Frequency/Offset Time
Sector 2A 147.00 /+0.60  PL 19:30 Local
Sector 2B 145.39/-0.60  PL 67.0 20:00 Local
Sector 2C Winlink Net Check-In 6AM-Midnight Local Time
Sector 2D 146.865/-0.60  PL 103.5 19:30 Local
6-Meter State Net 53.31 / -1.0  PL 71.9  

 

Note: 53.31 has been reported to be having difficulties lately.

The appropriate people are aware and working to remedy any issues.

19:00 Local
MA RACES HF Net 3930 KHz LSB moving up to 3955 KHz until there is a clear frequency 18:45 Local
MA MEMA NBEMS Net Frequency:  3584.5 MHx, Center Frequency: 1500 Hz, Initial mode: THOR22 19:00 Local

    I appreciate you all answering the call to help our communities remain prepared. Thank you all for helping us keep things on track and prove that we remain a consistent source of communication capability to the Commonwealth. This net provides a monthly reminder to our communities and served agencies that we stand ready with a quiet professionalism prepared to serve as a voice to whomever needs one to get help and resources to where they need to be.

 If you know someone who would benefit from being on this list, please have them contact me at   WC1MAB@gmail.com and I will add them to this distribution. Thank you all!

      If anyone has any questions or comments I can be reached by e-mail or cell phone. Thanks for being a part of our team and I look forward to hearing back on who can participate this month.

Sincerely,

Michael Leger (N1YLQ)

MEMA Region #2 RACES Officer

C: 386-566-7666

N1ILZ To Become Eastern MA Section Manager Effective January 1, 2023

ARRL logoTom Walsh, K1TW, writes:

I am very pleased to add my congratulations to Jon Mc Combie, N1ILZ

ARRL announced [on September 9] that Jon, N1ILZ, will assume the role of ARRL Section Manager for Eastern Massachusetts beginning January 1.  There should be a formal announcement from ARRL in the coming few days.

Jon brings a great enthusiasm and level of experience to the job, and I couldn’t be happier than to leave Jon at the helm when my term ends in just a few months.  Please join me in wishing Jon great success.  

I will of course help Jon through the transition so he will be ready.  Give him great support.  

I thank you all for the support I received the last eight years.

73,

Tom K1TW

KM1P Featured in ARRL Letter Article about OMOTENASHI

Boston amateur and AMSAT member Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, is mentioned in the September 8, 2022 issue of The ARRL Letter. He describes a tool called JPL Horizons, an online solar system data and computation service that provides access to key solar system data for solar system objects such as asteroids, planetary satellites, planets, the Sun, and select spacecraft:

From The ARRL Letter:

When NASA’s Artemis I rocket launches for its mission to the moon this month, you’ll be able to track it using 70-centimeter beacons known as Outstanding MOon exploration TEchnologies demonstrated by NAno Semi-Hard Impactors (OMOTENASHIs).

Omotenashi is Japanese for welcome or hospitality, and it describes the 70-centimeter beacons as small spacecraft and semi-hard landers of the 6U CubeSat format which will demonstrate low-cost technology to land and explore the lunar surface. OMOTENASHI will be one of 10 CubeSats to be carried with the Artemis I mission.

Brian Wilkins, KO4AQF, says that with the Artemis Real-time Orbit Website (AROW), anyone with internet access can pinpoint where Orion is and track its distance from the Earth, its distance from the moon, the mission duration, and more. AROW is available on NASA’s website and Twitter account. AROW visualizes data collected by sensors on Orion that are sent to the Johnson Space Center’s Mission Control Center in Houston during its flight. It will provide periodic real-time data beginning about 1 minute after liftoff through the separation of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, approximately 2 hours into flight.

Once Orion is flying on its own, AROW will provide constant real-time information. On the web, users can follow AROW to see where Orion is in relation to the Earth and the moon, and follow Orion’s path during the mission. Users can view key mission milestones and characteristics on the moon, including information about landing sites from the Apollo program. Also available for download will be an ephemeris, which provides trajectory data from the flight.

AROW will also provide a set of Orion’s state vectors — data that describes precisely where Orion is in space and how it moves — for inclusion in these tweets once Orion is flying on its own. These vectors can be used for data lovers, artists, and creatives to make their own tracking app, data visualization, or anything else they envision. For more information, read https://www.nasa.gov/feature/track-nasa-s-artemis-i-mission-in-real-time/.

AMSAT member Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, adds a second online tool, called Horizons. The JPL Horizons online solar system data and computation service provides access to key solar system data and flexible production of highly accurate locations for solar system objects such as asteroids, planetary satellites, planets, the Sun, and select spacecraft. Horizons is provided by the Solar System Dynamics Group of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Fitzgerald says to use “OMOTENASHI” as the Target Body. You can find information and the online app at https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.

— 
Thanks to Brian Wilkins, KO4AQF; Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P; NASA; JPL Horizons, and AMSAT.

Cape Ann ARA Receives $25,000 ARRL Foundation Grant to Develop Robust STEM Offering

Photo of CAARA clubhouseThe Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association (CAARA) has been named the recipient of a $25,000 grant from the ARRL Foundation to develop a robust STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education offering for radio amateurs and residents in the community it serves.
 
According to CAARA president Brandon Hockle, NQ1W, “We will use the funds to modernize the presentation and training space of our Stanwood Street clubhouse along the Annisquam river in Gloucester MA, including upgrading our classroom projector, public address system for teachers, electronics workstations, soldering irons, training computers, usb oscilloscopes, Arduinos, and more. The grant will also enhance accessibility to the clubhouse for our mobility-impaired members and attendees.”
 
Hockle says the CAARA board of directors will meet on Sept 24, 2022 to discuss the plans with the membership.
 
“We are excited to provide multiple free monthly classes for hams looking to earn or upgrade their license, for students wishing to learn about microcontrollers like Arduino, introductory electronics, and other topics.”
 

It is our sincere hope that we can use these fun and popular courses to entice new hams to get their licenses, allow older hams to mentor and train new hams, and generally increase the enthusiasm and engagement of people on our community with radio and electronics,” he adds.

“We can’t wait to show the community what great service CAARA can provide, thanks to the generosity of the ARRL. We cannot thank them and all the ARRL members enough for providing this program of funding for clubs.”

Barnstable ARC Awarded ARRL Club Grant to Develop Amateur Radio Program at Boy Scout Camp

Barnstable ARC logoThe Barnstable Amateur Radio Club (BARC) has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the ARRL Foundation to develop an amateur radio station at Camp Greenough to serve the Cape & Islands Boy Scouts of America.

The funds will allow the club to:

• construct, operate and maintain an Amateur Radio Station at Camp Greenough
• expose scouts, guests and leaders to Amateur Radio
• demonstrate the public and emergency capabilities of Amateur Radio
• provide Merit Badge training
• provide Amateur Radio license training and licensing exams

diagram of proposed radio equipment

“BARC provided the initial commitment of funds. The club then received commitments of assistance from Eversource, Comcast, FEW LLC (general contractor), and Avery Electric.  No funding was required from the Boy Scouts of America or Camp Greenough for the project,” says BARC President Norm Cantin, WA1NLG.

“We are very excited about this opportunity to build a station at the Camp. We are meeting with the scout leadership this weekend to work out the details and to start the project.”

Aerial view/plans of the camp

K6LCS: “How to Work Amateur Satellites With Your HT” at the Boston Amateur Radio Club Meeting Online, September 15, 2022

Boston ARC logoThe Boston Amateur Radio Club will hold its September General Meeting on the Zoom Teleconferencing Platform on Thursday, September 15. The Zoom room will open at 7:00 pm for a period of socializing, and the meeting proper will begin at 7:30.

Our speaker is Clint Bradford, K6LCS, presenting “How to Work Amateur Satellites with Your HT.” You do not need 100W of transmit power nor expensive antenna arrays to work the FM voice amateur satellites! Many hams already have the necessary equipment to “work the birds.” This presentation will walk you through ALL the steps needed to successfully work several ham satellites – including the International Space Station.

Clint K6LCS has been a ham since 1994, and found his niche in the hobby: working amateur satellites with minimal equipment and telling ALL about it! He has served a liaison between NASA, the ARISS team, and schools coordinating amateur radio contacts between the International Space Station and students (and also orchestrated a wildly successful ARISS contact). Audiences have never found his presentation slides “wordy” nor dull. Trivia questions are included throughout the session – audiences are never bored.

For reference materials, Clint has created a support Web site at work-sat.com.The Web site has become a one-stop source for ALL the citations and equipment recommendations and software suggestions made in the presentation.

Professionally, Clint was sales manager for ADI / Premier Communications / Pryme, worked for a Motorola commercial two-way dealer a couple of years, and for Ham Radio Outlet a couple more. He resides in Jurupa Valley, California, with his wife, Karen, and their rescued lab, Freja (FRAY-ya).

This will be a “perfect storm” meeting, as the club President, Vice President, and Secretary will all be unable to attend, so there will be no business portion of the meeting.

73,

Joe Chapman NV1W / Secretary, Boston Amateur Radio Club

 
 

Eastern Massachusetts Hospital Net – Saturday 9/10/22 at 1000 AM EDT

Good evening,

On Saturday September 10, 2022, the South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group will hold an Eastern MA Hospital Net commencing at 10AM.
We realize that the usual locations for some individuals and groups are still unavailable due to ongoing COVID restrictions.
We encourage everyone who is affected by these restrictions to utilize their home or mobile stations to check into the net.

We will use the following repeaters and NEDECN DMR system in the order listed.

1. Bridgewater Repeater 147.180 tone 67.0
2. Attleboro Repeater 147.195 tone 127.3
3. Falmouth Repeater 147.375 tone 110.9
4. Dartmouth Repeater 147.000 tone 67.0
5. DMR – EMHN Talkgroup 8851 Time Slot 1 on select NEDECN repeaters:
Boston 449.175 CC1, Hingham 146.430 -1.5M CC1, Bourne 145.200 CC10, Dennis 146.470 -1.5M CC11, and Martha’s Vineyard145.180 CC10, Walpole 145.380 -0.600 CC12 repeaters
6. DMR Simplex 446.500 TG 99 both slots
7. DMR Simplex 145.790 TG 99 both slots
8. Return to Bridgewater Repeater for 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, EOC of any city or town as well as RACES or ARES members 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 trying your hand at Net Control please let us know. We can be reached by sending an email to ssharg@outlook.com or replying to this message. 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 these monthly nets and the use of their systems in an actual event.

We hope to hear you Saturday.

Jeff N1SOM, Secretary, and the SSH group

N1SOM – W1SSH

South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group
55 Fogg Rd. Mail-Stop 42
South Weymouth, MA 02190
_._,_._,_

Bristol County Repeater Association Fox Practice & Hunt, Fall River Vicinity, September 10 & 17, 2022

Bristol Co. RA club bannerSkip Denault, KB1CNB, writes:

Fox Practice – September 10, 2022

If you want to try out your equipment or just hone your skills there will be a fox active at Skip’s QTH 443 President Avenue, Fall River, MA (Latitude 41.71545°; Longitude -71.14864°) on Saturday, September 10, from 10am-4pm. I will be monitoring the Fall River repeater (145.150 MHz PL 123) if you have questions or you get here and want a tea, coffee (Hot or cold) or water. This is not a hunt – after all, I told you where it will be – this is just practice, if you want it!

BCRA Fox Hunt – September 17, 2022

When:
09/17/2022
10:00am to 2:30pm

Where:
5 mile radius from 25 Church St, Swansea MA — ONLY a 5 mile radius from our usual club meeting location.

Organizer: Skip Denault kb1cnb@bcra.club 774-644-3469

View Event

Description:

Bristol County Repeater Association
 
The next BCRA Fox Hunt has been scheduled!
 
 
Saturday, September 17, 2022
 
NOTICE NEW DETAILS BELOW WITH A NEW CHALLENGE! —  The radius is only 5 miles from the center point.
 
* Time: 10:00 am to 2:30 pm  — check-in starts at 9:45 am on the BCRA repeater, 145.150 MHz PL 123

* Location: The Foxes will be located within a 5 – mile radius from 25 Church St, Swansea MA
 A five-mile radius from our usual club meeting location.
 (41.724190, -71.202080).
 
* Fox1 will activate at 10:00 am on 146.565 MHz FM 
  Fox2 will activate at 10:02:30 on 146.430 MHz FM 

After the Fox Hunt, participants, friends, and anyone interested will have the option to gather at a nearby restaurant for food and refreshments.  There is no obligation, but many members have indicated an interest in gathering post Fox Hunt to discuss the event and see how everyone made out.  You will be notified of the restaurant’s location when you find the final Fox or at 2:30 PM. 

Communications with “Fox Control” can all be done over the BCRA repeater, including checking in when you have found the fox. You may also speak with us in the control vehicle using physical distancing if you wish.

 
There will be TWO foxes – one manned by KB1CNB, Skip, and one by N1KJS, Kevin. When you find one of the foxes, you will get a hint to help you find the second (if you want!).
 
Check-ins will begin at 9:45 am on the BCRA repeater, 145.150 MHz PL 123. Chat and help on the repeater also.
 
The Fox1 will activate at 10:00 am on 146.565 MHz FM, and Fox2 at 10:02:30 on 146.430 MHz FM with a 5-watt signal, and both will transmit 1 minute of tone followed by Morse Code ID and 4 minutes of silence. As the hunt progresses we may increase the transmission times – that will be announced on the BCRA repeater. The hunt will last until 2:30 pm or until all checked-in participants have found the transmitters, whichever comes first.
 
The Foxes will be located within a  5 – mile radius from 25 Church St, Swansea MA,  (41.724190, -71.202080).

 A five-mile radius from our usual club meeting location.

The Fox1 (in Skip’s vehicle, a blue/grey Jeep Commander marked BCRA) will be in a public place and be manned at all times. When you have found the fox, your time and order of arrival will be recorded, and a personalized certificate will be emailed to each participant.
 
The Fox2 (in Kevin’s vehicle, a blue Toyota Tacoma marked BCRA) will be in a public place and be manned at all times. When you have found the fox, your time and order of arrival will be recorded.
 
Participants are encouraged to work in teams and are asked to drive carefully and observe all applicable guidelines, both from the FCC and the state & local governments. Since participants are receiving only (except for radio check-ins), an amateur radio license is not required.
 
Email questions to Skip at kb1cnb@bcra.club or text to 774-644-3469. After the hunt, your comments, impressions, and suggestions will be welcome!
 
Join us and have some good amateur radio fun!

KB1OIQ: “Andy’s Ham Radio Linux” at Billerica Amateur Radio Society Online Meeting, September 7, 2022

Billerica ARS logoThe Billerica Amateur Radio Society meets at 7:00 PM on September 7, 2022. The meeting will feature a talk by Andy Stewart, KB1OIQ, entitled “Andy’s Ham Radio Linux”, a popular Free and Open Source Software collection based on Ubuntu Linux and tailored for amateur radio users. 

Andy Stewart (KB1OIQ) joined the hobby in 2007 and holds an Amateur Extra license. He has been involved with the Linux community since 1997. Andy has a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering (focus on computer engineering) from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). By day, Andy builds and uses computer simulations to test digital logic circuits. By night, he can be found doing ham radio projects, FT8, 2m phone, casual DXing, and vintage radio restoration.
 

[For Zoom conference details, email Bruce Anderson, W1LUS, at w1lus -at- hotmail -dot- com.]

 
 
 

Baystate Marathon and Half-Marathon, October 16, 2022

Terry Stader, KA8SCP, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:

Hello potential Baystate Marathon volunteers.

This year’s Baystate Marathon and Half-Marathon race is scheduled for Sunday, October 16, 2022.

Amateur Radio operators have been asked once again to support the Baystate Marathon and Half Marathon. This year the event is on Sunday, October 16th. 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 booth the status of runners who are unable to complete the race for any issue to any one is seeking this information.

Race info may be found at http://baystatemarathon.com. Course map is found at https://www.baystatemarathon.com/course-map-description

Please contact me if you can assist or would like more information.

Please share with others that may be interested. This is a pretty laid back event and suitable for first time public event participation.

Terry-KA8SCP

Terry M. Stader – KA8SCP
MEMA Region 1 RACES Officer
ARRL ARES Eastern MA District Emergency Coordinator for Region 1 RACES

Additional Volunteers Sought for Project Big E, West Springfield MA

Project Big E logoLarry Krainson, W1AST, writes:

The Big E is coming up fast and the first day is Friday, September 16th.

As of now, there are 12 clubs and around 110 people signed up to staff the ham radio booth. We are looking for a few more to help us lock down the schedule. Are you available on any of these dates and times?

Each day is broken into two sessions. The first runs 9:30 am through 4 :00 pm and the second runs 3:30 pm through 10:00 pm. The overlap is to help the new arrivals for the 2nd session learn what had been working during the first session so they could continue. The sessions are named Session 1 and Session 2.

Here is where we need volunteers as of right now:
Monday, Sept 19, session 1 – need 2 people
Monday, Sept 19, session 2 – need 3 people
Tuesday, Sept 20, session 2 – need 3 people
Sunday, Sept 25, session 2 – need 3 people
Tuesday, Sept 27, session 2 – need 4 people
Friday, Sept 30, session 2 – need 3 people
Saturday, Oct 1, session 1 – needs 1 person
Sunday, Oct 2 (Final Day), session 1 – needs 2 people
Sunday, Oct 2 (Final session), session 2 – needs 2 people
Are you available to help? If yes, please volunteer or add a session to what you have already volunteered for.

As a reminder, everyone that volunteers will have their Big E fairgrounds parking reimbursed and their admission reimbursed (or free tickets provided to them).

Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9_iH1ZucHuCFCNwreEuVPWnmLOT5D_s92vHPuEUASS78Tew/viewform

Learn more here: https://nediv.arrl.org/project-big-e

I hope you are available to help us lock in these last few days of the schedule for the ham radio booth.

Thank you and 73,

Larry, W1AST

Eastern Massachusetts Hospital Net for September on Second Saturday of the Month 9/10/22 Due to Labor Day Holiday Weekend

K1JRO-John O’Neill ARES DEC for Hospitals liaison writes:

Just a reminder as mentioned last month during the EMHN, because the first Saturday in September is a holiday (Labor Day Weekend) we will hold the net next Saturday September 10.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Talk to you next Saturday at the usual time of 10:AM.

Regards,
John O’Neill