a field organization of the National Association for Amateur Radio®
Jeff-N1SOM and the South Shore Hospital Group W1SSH writes:
Good Evening,
On Saturday February 7, 2026 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. Plymouth Repeater 146.685 tone 131.8
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
N1SOM writes on the EMHN mailing list:
On Saturday February 7, 2026 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.
- West Bridgewater repeater 146.775 dcs 244
- Plymouth Repeater 146.685 tone 131.8
- 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.
- Sharon Repeater 146.865 tone 103.5
- 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.
Dust off your APRS gear and check in next week to the New England APRS Test Net! This is a great opportunity to figure out the APRS functions on your latest HT or other gizmo.
Why participate in the test net? During the first month, there were a number of reports of operators who tried to check in, but needed to figure out how to send a message or worse, realized they needed to update the firmware of their device. As Amateur Radio Operators, we often market ourselves folks who can send a message “when all else fails” so this is the perfect time for you to find out in a fun environment what isn’t working BEFORE you need to do something important!
KC1VMZ sends the details on the neaprs mailing list:
WHAT: NE APRS Test net
WHEN: second Monday of the Month (for February, this is Monday February 9th): 0600 ET – 2200 ET
WHERE: APRS
HOW: Destination Station = ANSRVR
HOW: Message body = CQ [space] NEAPRS [space] “your text: check-in message of choice.”
Extra credit – send out a location beacon during the net time period as well.
Many hams use HamClock by Elwood Downey-WB0OEW. Due to Elwood’s recent death, HamClock will apparently stop working at the end of June.
Some enterprising folks have put together an updated version of HamClock, known as OpenHamClock. The version runs on Windows, Linux, or RPi and is open source. The software is housed in a GitHub repository that contains documentation. The URL for the repository is https://github.com/accius/openhamclock
I have loaded it on Windows, Linux, and RPi and found that it works well. The software is being updated regularly. It looks like a nice replacement for HamClock. A screenshot of OpenHamClock running in my shack is shown below.
Falmouth ARA will be offering a Technician license class in a weekend, March 20-22, 2026. See https://www.falara.org/exams-classes/license-classes for complete details. In addition to instruction and refreshments, the course fee includes the text, license exam, free handheld transceiver when you pass the exam, free admission to the next FARA Fest, and a one year membership in FARA.
I hope everyone was able to dig out from the recent snow storms with no serous negative effects! Thank you to the stations that checked in and particularly those that took on Net Control Duties in January and submitted their reports! Those are very helpful in showing MEMA and the ARRL that we remain prepared and active for emergency operations in Southeastern MA.
This email is the typical monthly message to let everyone know that Monday evening, February 2nd, 2026 is our first non-holiday Monday of the month and, as such, will be the next RACES/ACS/Preparedness Net night. For those who check into the 80m Net, please note the change in frequency for the net this evening. This was necessary due to frequent net collisions during our planned net night/time.
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: Net activity on this repeater has been hit and miss. Please report any activity. |
19:00 Local |
| MA RACES HF Net | 3942 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 |
The Algonquin Amateur Radio Club will be holding its annual Hamfest at Whitcomb Middle School at in Marlborough, MA on Saturday, February 14th, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. General admission is $5 and includes a chance at the $200 Cash Door Prize.
For more information check out the official flyer.
Hello to all…
The February Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday February 2nd, 2026 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 our monthly net.
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
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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 Feb 2026, the MEMA RACES nets will be held on Mon Feb 2 at:
********************************************************************************
80 meter Voice net
*** Note new frequency of 3942 Khz ****
This is to avoid another established net
6:45 PM
Frequency: 3942 KHz working up or down 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 include 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:
John KC1VMZ will be net control.
Send a winlink checkin form to KC1VMZ, copy AB1PH, between 0600 Monday Feb 2 and 2400 Monday Feb 2.
We look forward to you checking in!
—
73,
AB1PH
Don Rolph
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