Month: December 2022

Clubs

Boston ARC Formalizes Its Relationship With Area Makerspace

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Boston ARC logoBoston Amateur Radio Club (BARC) is moving forward with its affiliation plans with the Artisan’s Asylum (A2) makerspace. At its October 2022 general meeting, the BARC membership voted to approve the plan. The step marks a turning point for the thirty-three-year-old club which has been without an official home for a long time.

In 2022, Artisan’s Asylum relocated from offices in Somerville to 96 Holton Street in Boston. According to its website, the popular makerspace “is a non-profit […] devoted to the teaching, learning and practice of fabrication.” It offers classes on a wide range of skills and topics to the general public.

“As you know, we have been looking for a space to hold meetings, conduct testing, and eventually hold license classes,” writes Boston ARC President Brendan Baldonado, NW1S. “Getting a regular meeting space that also allows us to hold events, and host antenna and project builds will help grow the club.

“They (A2) are a maker/hackerspace that includes a wood shop, 3D printers and other heavy machinery.”

Prior to BARC’s decision to affiliate with Artisan’s Asylum, the makerspace was working to develop an RF station, mostly for testing and building other maker projects to bridge the gap between ham radio and DIYers. A2 applied for, and was awarded funding this past year from the Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) to establish an amateur station to “create, build, test and use amateur radio in various ways.”

Artisan’s Asylum currently counts among its ranks several licensed hams, and more are interested in obtaining their tickets.
“A2 is excited to get a club with our experience under their roof and have worked hard to keep the costs of renting a space very low for our club,” Baldonado says.

One important component of the collaboration involves BARC sponsoring courses. A2’s other members currently offer classes to the general public on such wide-ranging topics as woodworking and bicycle repair. BARC hopes to expand upon A2’s class offerings with courses on Amateur Radio-related topics like digital communications and kit construction. BARC is currently polling its membership to find interested individuals who will step forward and volunteer to instruct.

“There is a world of possibility in these spaces,” says Mindy Hull, KM1NDY. She and Greg Kenley, AC1NY, are passholders who have full access to the building and the club space. Soon, additional members will be added as passholders with unlimited access. In the long term, the club hopes to sort out access issues for its entire membership.

Hull notes that the A2 facility is enjoying tremendous popularity. “There are no more suites available at the A2. All suites are now on a waiting list.” She adds, “We got ours just in time.”

[December 30, 2022 Update: “Joe Chapman, NV1W, and Brendan NW1S, installed an off-center dipole and coax down into the BARC studio. We have a Yaesu FT-847 that will remain at the club station along with a power supply. There is also a Kenwood for UHF/VHF. Mary Sullaway, NN1C, installed the copper grounding. AC1NY will bring another folding table for the studio, along with a Lenovo laptop and Samsung monitor. He also plans to construct a WFVIEW remote transceiver setup for the studio as well as digital protocols station. We are almost operational!” -AC1NY.]
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[Show slideshow]
Organization

ARRL Handbook 100th Edition Includes Prominent New England Amateurs Among Its Contributors

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

ARRL Handbook 100th editionFrom nediv.arrl.org:

Dave Tessitore, K1DT, President of the Providence Radio Association (W1OP) writes in a December 27 email:

“…Under our Christmas tree, from my XYL, was the hot-off-the-press 100th Edition ARRL Handbook.  After our family and friends had all gone home, I sat at my desk and cracked it open.

“There on the title page, under the impressive words, One-Hundredth Edition, is the list of Contributors.  Among them are two PRA Members:  Frank Donovan, W3LPL and Rick Rosen, K1DS.  What an honor to have these two giants in their fields as members of our club!

“I next turned to the middle of the Handbook, to the full-color 100 edition retrospective, and there is a 2-page interview with friend and former PRA member Skip Youngberg, K1NKR, who recently spoke at our 100th anniversary dinner!

“What other radio club has three members contributing to the definitive publication on Amateur Radio?

“But wait, make that four members, for let us not forget our Secretary Domenic Mallozzi, N1DM, who contributed to both the 1986 and 1999 Handbooks!

“Congratulations to Frank, Rick, Skip, and Dom! You make us Proud.”

Well, Dom, N1DM (who will be speaking at the Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s (NVARC) January meeting) is a member of Marlborough’s Algonquin Amateur Radio Club (AARC).  So that makes two AARC members in the 100th Handbook.

And as far as NVARC is concerned, Phil Erickson, W1PJE, is listed on the title page as a contributor and an article by Joe Dzekevich, K1YOW, is in the Handbook’s supplemental files.  That’s three for NVARC.

Also on the local front, Doug Grant, K1DG, has a title page listing and copious acknowledgements throughout the book.  Club members remember Doug from WRTC2014 and probably a few talks at meetings over the years.  Plus, Jim Idelson, K1IR, and Bob Clarke, N1RC, (whose affiliations are unknown to me) have Handbook title page listings.

It seems like one-land is well represented.

Background (courtesy Skip, K1NKR):

Last Spring, Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, asked me about the status of my QST and Handbook collection.  The League was putting together the 100th edition of the ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications and was looking to contact a collector.  Fred subsequently put me in contact through League Headquarters with Mark Derks (unlicensed then, now KC1RVQ), a member of the publications staff.  Mark and I exchanged phone calls in mid-April, then he and a photographer came over from Newington and visited my shack to conduct an interview.  The result in the hardcover version of the Handbook was a sixteen-page color section of radio history which included two pages devoted to the interview.

The whole exercise was quite enjoyable, with the only difficulty being that I was under a nondisclosure agreement until the Handbook came out.  I had a hard time keeping the secret between April and October!

The K1NKR collection contains every issue of the League’s monthly “QST” magazine back to 1915 (all library-style hardbound) and all but one year of the Handbook.

Technically, this year’s Handbook edition is the hundredth, not the centennial.  The first Handbook edition was published in 1926.  The years 1927 and 1928 actually had two numbered editions published per year.

As you know, the Handbook is a massive, almost 1300-page encyclopedia of electronics and communications technology that weighs in at 6.2 pounds—a pretty good pennies-per-page investment even if you only spring for a Handbook “every hundred years or so.”  And if you do, go for the hardcopy version.

73 all, and the best of the New Year,

Skip

Clubs / Youth

W6NBC: “Making Ferrite Toroid Baluns” at New England Sci-Tech Hybrid Meeting, January 3, 2023

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New England Sci Tech logoThe New England Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society will meet on-line and in-person on January 3, 2023 at 7 PM and feature: “Making Ferrite Toroid Baluns” by by John Portune, W6NBC.

Few hams have a clue of how to select a toroid and wind it to make a 1:1, 4:1 or 9:1 balun and the well-known radio books can be confusing. This presentation shows the three very easy steps to successful ferrite toroid design with very little math and a free on-line calculator.

Bio: John is a native of Los Angeles, CA and was first licensed in 1965. He has a Bachelor’s degree in physics from Oregon State University and, before he retired, was a broadcast television engineer and instructor. John is a ham magazine author and has published more than 25 articles to date in QST. He is active on HF, VHF, UHF – SSB, FM, digital modes, ham satellites and his other hobbies include steam railroading and pipe organs. John is married to KF6OEB and has three children and 12 grandchildren. John’s website is www.w6nbc.com

Regulation & Advocacy

ARLB026 Rep. Bill Johnson Introduces Bill to Eliminate Private Land Use Restrictions on Amateur Radio

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QST de W1AW 
ARRL Bulletin 26  ARLB026
From ARRL Headquarters 
Newington CT  December 24, 2022
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB026
ARLB026 Rep. Bill Johnson Introduces Bill to Eliminate Private Land Use Restrictions on Amateur Radio

Congressman Bill Johnson (OH-6) introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R.9670) on Thursday, December 22, 2022, to eliminate private land use restrictions that prohibit, restrict, or impair the ability of an Amateur Radio Operator from operating and installing amateur station antennas on property subject to the control of the Amateur Radio Operator.

The exponential growth of communities subject to private land use restrictions that prohibit both the operation of Amateur Radio and the installation of amateur station antennas has significantly restricted the growth of the Amateur Radio Service. These restrictions are pervasive in private common interest residential communities such as single-family subdivisions, condominiums, cooperatives, gated communities, master-planned communities, planned unit developments, and communities governed by community associations. The restrictions have particularly impacted the ability of Amateur Radio to fulfill its statutorily mandated duty of serving as a voluntary noncommercial emergency communications service.

Congress in 1996 directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to promulgate regulations (Public Law 104-104, title II, section 207, 110 Stat. 114; 47 U.S.C. 303 note) that have preempted all private land use restrictions applicable to exterior communications facilities that impair the ability of citizens to receive television broadcast signals, direct broadcast satellite services, or multichannel multipoint distribution services, or to transmit and receive wireless internet services. ARRL attempts to obtain similar relief for Amateur Radio were rejected by the FCC with a statement such relief would have to come from Congress.

ARRL Legislative Advocacy Committee Chairman John Robert Stratton, N5AUS, noted that Congress, in 1994 by Joint Resolution, S.J.Res.90/H.J.Res.199, declared that regulations at all levels of government should facilitate and encourage the effective operation of Amateur Radio from residences as a public benefit. He continued by stating that “H.R.9670, the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act, is intended to fulfill that mandate and preserve the ability of Amateur Radio Operators to continue to serve as a key component of American critical communications infrastructure.”

ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, and Mr. Stratton both extended on behalf of the ARRL, its Members, and the Amateur Radio community their thanks and appreciation for the leadership of Rep. Johnson in his tireless efforts to support and protect the rights of all Amateur Radio Operators.

The full text of the bill in PDF format is available online at, https://www.arrl.org/files/file/HR9670/HR9670-Amateur-Radio-Emergency-Preparedness-Act.pdf

NTS

Why Not Send a Radiogram Today?

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Peter Doherty, KC1HHO, writes:

Amateur Radio operators need not be involved with the National Traffic Service (NTS) to send or receive radiograms. Official Relay Stations (ORS) as well as stations in training can “originate” your messages and get them into the NTS system. This can easily be done by finding out who a local ORS is and sending them your message via email, snail mail or even in person. This station will also communicate back to you any replies that your message generates. Best of all it’s all free of charge!!

So what kind of messages could be sent? Holiday greetings to family or friends, confirmations of QSO’s, notifications of awards or certifications from your club or special event, thanks you messages….anything actually, 25 words or less. Some NTS messages can be incorporated into brevity codes that reduce the word count. An ORS will be able to work with you to make it all happen.

The ominous possibility of communication infrastructure being compromised is another reason to rely on NTS to get your message through. The time is now to establish a trusting relationship with your local NTS stations and gain experience so that you’ll be better prepared for the future.

Incorporating radiograms into your personal and or club ham radio activities will provide another facet to the hobby. Once you’ve experienced the effectiveness of sending radiograms you’ll be amazed. Thousands of Amateur Radio operators participate in this system and you can too.

To get started utilizing the NTS resources in your local area contact Peter KC1HHO at kc1hho@arrl.net.

Youth

Algonquin ARC Members Chat With Hudson High School Students, December 9, 2022

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Hudson High School ARC
Hudson High School ARC, May 2019.

Members of the Algonquin Amateur Radio Club in Marlborough took time from their busy lives to chat with students at the Hudson High School over AARC’s 440 MHz repeater. The Hudson High School ARC is under new leadership: Lynda Chilton, KC1RWC, the HUD-TV Cable Access TV Director, and Troy Lefebvre, KC1RUC, of the school’s Business and Technology Department.

Outgoing club leader and W1HUD trustee Reed Prior, W1TF, is still involved supporting the new instructors through the transition.

“We had to store the equipment away as we work through the logistics of reconnecting the antenna to new location in the building. We hope to set it back up in the future but we have to discuss it at a later date,” says Lefebvre.

The students use a handheld Baofeng radio to make the contacts with the Algonquin ARC members.

Ken Horton, KA1GFN, the Algonquin ARC’s treasurer and newsletter editor, spoke to three or four students on Friday, December 9, 2022.

“They wanted to know how long I had been in Amateur Radio and how I become interested.”

Ken says one student also asked if he had any suggestions on the best way to learn Morse code.

“Not being a  Morse code person, I couldn’t offer much as far as suggestions other than to practice.”

The students’ questions were not limited strictly to Amateur Radio,” reports KA1GFN.

“They also asked some questions on sports which I came up with the best answers that I could for not being a sports person. They asked which sport I liked watching the most; I don’t really watch sports but if were to watch any, it would be baseball. They asked what baseball team I like watching the best. Being from New England, it would be the Red Sox. I guess, though, the idea was to get them to talk.”

“We run a program that we call ‘Enrichment,'” says Troy Lefebvre. “Each day there is time allocated for academic support or enrichment which are fun topics for students to learn more about. We currently have ham radio enrichment  on Fridays.”

KC1RUC says the ham enrichment topics have included:

  • Amateur Radio – Define it, types, licensing, AARC, resources, local events
  • Repeaters – Define, local groups, resources, how to set up your transceiver for a repeater (Baofeng), net events
  • Echolink – Define it, its uses, demonstration
  • Connecting /Conversation- Mainly with members of AARC or Reed  Prior (W1TF)

“It is out hope, based on what we know now and our set up, to continue with the information listed above and expand as Lynda and I learn more. This coming summer, we hope get our General class licenses, revisit the equipment and antenna set up and expand the offering in the fall of 2023.”

Troy says the biggest challenge they face is “continuing to get good numbers for enrichment. They have been going down as of late, but of those that do come they are really interested. I would like to have a solid foundation throughout the year and ideally, have it in place for the fall.”

Hudson High School is a public school enrolling about 950 students in grades 8-12.  It is located in the New England town of Hudson, MA, about 27 miles (43 km) west of Boston.  We offer a broad general education curriculum, including about 155 elective courses to meet widely varying student interests. 

Clubs

“Homebrew Night” at Nashoba Valley ARC, December 15, 2022

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Nashoba Valley ARC logoBruce Blain, K1BG, writes:

The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s December meeting will be TOMORROW, Thursday, December 15th, at 7:30 PM at the Pepperell Community Center (in Pepperell). Doors will open at 7:00 PM for socializing etc.

This month’s program will feature our annual “Homebrew Night”. Come in and show off what you’ve been working on over the past year. No project is too small—or too large. If your project is physically too big, don’t fret. Bring along some pictures, JPEG files, or anything else. We will have a computer, projector, and screen if you have pictures or video. Homebrew, kits, software, restoration, innovative solutions, anything that is not commercial off-the-shelf. Come. Brag. Converse. Have coffee. This is one of the best “social” meetings of the year….

We will also be discussing topics for upcoming meetings.

Need directions? Click here and put your own address in box “A”.

Thanks and 73. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Bruce, K1BG

978-772-2773 or bruce.blain@charter.net

Clubs / Youth

KC1HTT: “A Low Power, Single Polarization, 144 MHz, Earth-Moon-Earth Amateur Radio Station: Physics, Engineering, and Operations” at New England Sci-Tech Hybrid Meeting, December 20, 2022

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New England Sci Tech logoThe New England Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society will meet on-line and in-person on December 20, 2022 at 7 PM and feature: “A Low Power, Single Polarization, 144 MHz, Earth-Moon-Earth Amateur Radio Station: Physics, Engineering, and Operations” by Dr. William E. Keicher, KC1HTT.

Description: Successful amateur Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) communications is the most challenging project that an amateur radio operator can attempt. The goal of this presentation is to give the amateur radio enthusiast an idea of what is required to successfully model, build, and operate a QRP EME station. The KC1HTT 2 meter, QRP EME amateur radio station is described in detail. Included in this presentation are the physics of EME communications, communication system analysis, design, and hardware implementation. In addition, the JT65B communication mode, waveforms, and signal processing are described. Finally, EME operations are reported, including QSO planning, safety considerations, EME support web sites, six successful QSOs, and a signal-to-noise analysis of the QSOs. Plans are discussed for the next generation KC1HTT EME radio station.

Bio: Dr. William E. Keicher, KC1HTT, is a retired research electrical engineer. He worked at MIT Lincoln Laboratory from 1975 to 2012 and CBS Laboratories from 1973 to 1975. He served as an officer in the US Army Signal Corps from 1969 to 1977. His research specialties include laser and millimeter wave communications, laser, microwave and millimeter wave radar systems, and infrared and visible imaging systems. He is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s Electrical Engineering Department BSEE (1969), MSEE (1970), Ph.D. EE (1974). Dr. Keicher’s amateur radio interests include HF DX chasing, VHF/UHF satellite communications, and VHF Earth-Moon-Earth communications.

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Reminder: Dec 5th, 2022 MEMA RACES/ACS Communications Test Net

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Mike Leger-N1YLQ, MEMA Region 2 RACES Radio Officer writes:

Hello to all,

      This email is a reminder that this evening, December 5th, 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. This is our last RACES/ACS Preparedness Net for 2022.

      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 a Winlink only net on a monthly basis.

           The 6-meter net has generally been a very informal net. We have received an update that repairs have been implemented on the repeater. Please report any comms testing on the repeater so that those repairs can be verified.

              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 – *** NOTE THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS MONTHS!! *** : 

See https://ema.arrl.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Winlink_NTS_Traffic_for_December_2022_Net_How_To_Guide.pdf for these instructions.

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 as being repaired and back online. Please report tests on this repeater so that we can verify the repairs/improvements made to the repeater.

 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

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net – Monday December 5th 2022 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater System

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Hello to all…

The December Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday December 5th, 2022 at 830 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:
https://mmra.org/repeaters/repeater_linking.html (Click the ARES box to see the repeaters and other systems linked)

We look forward to your participation and remember, we are always looking for Net Controls to run the ARES Net. We will have several announcements for the net including our best wishes for a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Holiday season.

Thanks for your continued support of ARES!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
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Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Massachusetts RACES Nets – Monday 12/5/22 for HF, Region 2D VHF, NBEMS & Winlink – Times and Details Below

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

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

The MEMA RACES nets are held on the first Monday of the month, unless the first Monday is a holiday, when it is delayed one week,
For Dec, the RACES nets will be held on Mon Dec 5.

The Races nets will be held on Mon Dec 5 at:
********************************************************************************
The HF net will start at 6:45 PM ET: 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 ET 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 using N1JCM will be net control.
********************************************************************************
HF NBEMS net:
7:00 PM ET
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.
Don Rolph AB1PH will be net control.
*********************************************************************************
Winlink Net:

We will do something different this month as a test in preparation for functional use of the National Traffic System. See the following link for detailed instructions:
https://ema.arrl.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Winlink_NTS_Traffic_for_December_2022_Net_How_To_Guide.pdf
*********************************************************************************

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

—

73,

AB1PH
Don Rolph
NTS

New Training in NTS Message Handling beginning Monday December 5

- by kw1u - Leave a Comment

Want to learn more of what formalized message handling is about? What goes into an NTS message and why? What are all those protocols about and why are they necessary? Peter Doherty KC1HHO created a program for training in message handling which he conducts on the Eastern Mass 2 Meter Traffic Net on the Boston 145.23 repeater at 8:00 PM. This program has been quite successful, and now will be extended through the Heavy Hitters Traffic Net which meets nightly at 10 PM on the Minuteman repeater network. HHTN manager Joe Weisse W1HAI reports the training itself will be conducted on HHTN’s alternate repeater Waltham 146.64 PL 136.5. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays around 10:15. Folks can check-in as usual on HHTN at 10 PM and will go through a round of traffic before being released to shift to the Waltham repeater and receive training from Bob Sparkes KC1KVY. Joe explains this shift is to keep from going too late after the end of the net itself.

Thanks to the folks of the Waltham Repeater Association for their unanimous support of this training program!

Clubs / Licensing Education & Training

Massasoit ARA Technician Class, Middleboro, January 14, 2023

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Massasoit ARA logoFrom the Massasoit ARA MARANews, November 2022:

Space has been reserved at Reedy’s Archery (Middleboro) downstairs lanes to conduct a [Massasoit Amateur Radio Association] Technician class beginning Saturday, January 14, 2023 and concluding with an exam on February 18, 2023. The class should run from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM for six Saturdays. John, N1BSO and Phil, N1XTB will be instructors.

Operating / Public Information / Public Service

Boston ARC to Participate in SKYWARN Recognition Day from Blue Hill Observatory, December 3, 2022

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
Boston ARC logoJoe Harris N1QD, writes on the Boston ARC mailing list:
 
[The Boston Amateur Radio Club] has, on rather short notice, been invited to participate in SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) by the Blue Hill Observatory. SRD takes place this Saturday, December 3rd. This had been a regular event for the club from 2003 until the pandemic hit, and it will be great for us to return to the top of Great Blue Hill! We have already completed a fair bit of the preliminary planning, and we will be holding a Zoom call to finalize the details on Thursday Dec 1st at 7PM. The Zoom details are at the bottom of this email.
 
Note that due to the Observatory being under construction, this will not be an indoor event; We plan to set up in the parking lot just before the summit, and the operation will be weather dependent. That being said, current forecasts show that Saturday will be in the 60s, with some rain in the afternoon!
 
All BARC members are welcome to attend the event on Saturday, but we do ask that anyone planning on coming to Great Blue Hill please send an RSVP email to Mark Duff, KB1EKN at emgmgt@comcast.net.
 
73
Joe N1QD
BARC VP
Public Service

Public Service Request for Help for Parade, Gloucester, December 4, 2022

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
Eric Horwitz, KA1NCF, writes on the Cape Ann ARA mailing list:
 
Hello to All: (One more try we are short people)
 
Due to weather concerns the Gloucester Santa parade has been rescheduled for Sunday 12-04-2022 and they are requesting our communication support.
 
Event Day: Sunday December 4th, stepping off at 3: 00 pm
 
Event Time Requirement: Around 2 pm until 7 pm
 
Parade Starts at the Fish pier and goes thru downtown to end near the cut bridge
 
Please email me at ka1ncf@nsradio.org if you can HELP.
 
Thanks for your Support.
 
Eric, KA1NCF

ka1ncf@nsradio.org