a field organization of the National Association for Amateur Radio®
The July STM report for the combined sections of EMA, WMA and RI is now available at https://ema.arrl.org/massachusetts-rhode-island-stm-report-for-july-2026/. Note new appointment for Section Traffic Manager for Western Mass, Eric Wilhelm, W1RVY of Southbridge MA effective August 1, 2026. Also please note Call for Help with radiogram traffic to W1AW/1 contacts from Massachusetts.
FYI: An opportunity to assist students with a balloon project
I am Drew Deskur, KA
1M, and I am the Director of the Kopernik Observatory, a public observatory and Informal STEM Education Center in Vestal NY. We are once again running a High Altitude Balloon camp for local high school students next week.
On the payload of the balloon, we will be running APRS (K2ZRO-11) for tracking and we will also be flying SSTV on 145.600 using Martin 1 mode throughout the flight.
We plan to launch on Wednesday, August 19, hopefully between 10 to 10:30 am (1400-1430Z) and the balloon should reach over 100,000 feet. Last year we had SSTV reports from New England, Canada, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Maryland.
Would it be possible to send out a bulletin to ARRL members in the Northeast to alert them of this opportunity to track the flight on APRS (http://aprs.fi/) and download the SSTV images? We would love to get copies of images received from stations in the Northeast so we can share with the students how altitude matters on VHF. SSTV
Images and signal reports can be sent to: k2zro@kopernik.org
|
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.
NOTE: If a clear frequency cannot be located, the NCO may scan as low as 3935kHz to locate a clear frequency to use.
|
18:45 Local
|
|
MA MEMA NBEMS Net
|
Frequency: 3584.5 MHx, Center Frequency: 1500 Hz, Initial mode: THOR22
|
19:00 Local
|
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 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.
Hello to all…
The August Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday August 3rd, 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. Be advised that the September 2026 Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net will be on the second Monday of the month on Monday September 14th, 2026 due to the Labor Day Holiday weekend.
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
Like us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – https://twitter.com/wx1box
Subscribe on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@wx1box-nwsboston-amateur-radio
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 Aug 2026, the MEMA RACES nets will be held on Mon Aug 3 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 WC1VMZ, copy AB1PH, between 0600 Monday Aug 3 and 2400 Monday Aug 3..
********************************************************************************
Experimental APRS net
Operators who wish to participate must send the message “CI” (Charlie Indigo or Check In) to MAARES-1.
This can be done via RF or Internet by any APRS-capable device or software.
Sending “H” for help will provide more commands that you can perform while checked into the net.
Be sure to beacon your location as well so it is logged as part of the net.
To check out of the net, send “CO” (Charlie Oscar or Check Out),
This net will be available from 0600 to 2100 Eastern time.
Questions can be sent to kc1vmz@gmail.com at any time.
*********************************************************************
We look forward to you checking in!
—
73,
AB1PH
Don Rolph
_._,_._,_