Reminder: September 8th, 2025 MEMA RACES/ACS Communications Test Net

Mike “Sparky” Leger, N1YLQ, ARES DEC – MEMA Region 2 RACES Radio Officer writes:
 
Hello to all,
 
    This email is the typical monthly message to let everyone know that Monday evening, September 8th, 2025 is our first non-holiday Monday of the month and, as such, will be the next RACES/ACS/Preparedness Net night. 
 
  I will be unable to reliably be NCO for the Sector 2A net due to work requirements, so I am looking for someone to act as the Sector 2A NCO for the night. If no one is able to be NCO, I can try from my mobile radio in my vehicle as our town’s 9-1-1 system allows. 

     For those who participate in the WinLink net, please note that there is a different NCO noted for the WinLink net this month with messages being routed to KF1D with a copy to AB1PH. 
 
      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 may 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 is asked to please send a note to WC1MAB@gmail.com <mailto: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 cannot 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!
 

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 – 

NCO: KF1D with copy to AB1PH

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: Net activity on this repeater has been hit and miss. Please report any activity.

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
Winlink Net Instructions From Don Rolph: 
 
*Winlink Net*
 
To participate:
– create a check-in form using the Winlink standard check-in form
– send via Winlink after 6 AM EST Mon. September 8th and before midnight EST September 9th
  (any mode, but include mode in check-in form) to KF1D with a copy to AB1PH.
 
   I continue to ask that any operators who have the time, please try to
check into sector nets from near-by sectors. 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.
 
    I appreciate you all answering the call to help our communities remain
prepared as we close out the year for RACES/ARES operations. 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   <mailto:WC1MAB@gmail.comWC1MAB@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: 508_995_0203 

Massachusetts RACES Nets – Monday 9/8/25 for HF, Region 2D VHF, NBEMS & Winlink – Times and Details Below

Don Rolph, AB1PH, 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 Sep 2025, the MEMA RACES nets will be held on Mon Sep 8 at:

********************************************************************************
80 meter Voice net
*** Note new frequency of 3938 Khz ****

This is to avoid another established net
6:45 PM
Frequency: 3938 KHz working up until the first free frequency

Jeff N1JCM 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.

Don using WA1PLE will be net control.

********************************************************************************
HF 80 meters 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 AB1PH will be net control

*********************************************************************************
Winlink Net:
Bryan KF1D will be net control.
Send a winlink checkin form to KF1D, copy AB1PH, between 0600 Monday Sep 8 and 2400 Monday Sep 8.

We look forward to you checking in!

73,
AB1PH
Don Rolph

KC1DSQ & W1IS win August 2025 QST Cover Plaque Award!

Congratulations to PART of Westford members Bob Rose, KC1DSQ & Bob Glorioso, W1IS for winning the August 2025 QST cover plaque award for their article “An All-Band 160-Meter OCF Antenna”. This article was voted the most popular and well liked article for the August 2025 issue by ARRL membership. This makes it their third cover plaque award!  Congratulations to the Bobs for the hat trick! 

NE1PL operating from USS Massachusetts – September 20, 2025

The Uncommon Service to Nautical Radio club, NE1PL, will be operating from the USS Massachusetts in Battleship Cove, Fall River, MA on September 20, 2025 from 10:00AM ET to 3:30PM ET to commemorate the 84th anniversary of the launching of “Big Mamie” on September 23, 1941. They are looking for people who would like to operate on board the ship. Please contact KB1TEE for more details.

Eastern Massachusetts Hospital Net (EMHN) – Saturday 9/6/25 – 1000 AM

Jeff-N1SOM and the South Shore Hospital Group W1SSH writes:

Good Evening,

On Saturday September 6, 2025 the South Shore Hospital Amateur Radio Group will hold an Eastern MA Hospital Net commencing at 10:00AM.

Home or alternative locations are also welcome to check into the net. Even if you cannot reach all the systems being used, please check-in on those you can.

We will use the following repeaters in the order listed.

1. West Bridgewater repeater 146.775 dcs 244
2. Attleboro Repeater 147.195 tone 127.3
3. DMR -Talkgroup 8851 Time Slot :1 on the following NEDECN repeaters: Boston 449.175 -5.M CC:1, Hingham 146.430 -1.5M CC:1, Sagamore 145.200 – 0.6M CC:10, Dennis 146.470 -1.5M CC:11, East Falmouth 145.210 -0.600 CC:9, Martha’s Vineyard145.180 -0.600 CC:10, and Walpole 145.380 -0.600 CC:12.
4. Sharon Repeater 146.865 tone 103.5
5. Simplex 147.420

We will then return to the West 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.

73,

Jeff N1SOM and the South Shore Hospital Group W1SSH