Author: k9hi

Operating / Operating Events

Historic W1BB Callsign Returns to the Air for International Museums Weekend, June 20, 2026

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The historic W1BB callsign, long associated with amateur radio pioneer and ARRL icon Stew Perry, will return to the air on June 20, 2026, as part of International Museums Weekend. Operators Eric Pfeifer, N1JUR, and Shannon Gibney, KC1OHT, will activate a special event station from the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation in Waltham, Massachusetts, celebrating both the rich history of amateur radio and the legacy of one of its most influential figures.

Known worldwide as “Mr. 160 Meters,” Stew Perry, W1BB, helped shape low-band operating and remains a respected figure in amateur radio history. His contributions to the hobby continue to be recognized through the Stew Perry Topband Distance Challenge and the countless operators he inspired throughout his lifetime. The special event station will provide visitors and amateur radio operators an opportunity to learn about Perry’s contributions, the history of the W1BB callsign, and the role amateur radio has played in technical innovation and public service.

Members of the public are encouraged to visit the museum, follow along online, or listen for W1BB on the air during the event. Additional information about the activation, Stew Perry’s history, and operating details can be found at n1jur.com/w1bb. For questions or media inquiries, please contact Eric Pfeifer, N1JUR, at eric@n1jur.com.

W1BB Station event

All

Lightship Nantucket QRV, June 6, 2026

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Nantucket LightshipWayne Geiset, KC1ONM, writes on June 4, 2026, on the the Billerica ARS list:

In less than 48 hours we should be set up and on the air from the radio room on the Lightship in Boston Harbor.  LV-112 hasn’t been activated since 2019!

I expect to be able to spot us once we find a suitable frequency.  For those of you who won’t be joining us, I hope you will find yourself near a radio and be able to get in our log.  We will be operating as W1NLS.

Cheers & 73,

Wayne (KC1ONM)

http://www.w1.nls.com

Public Service

Cape Ann ARA Seeks Volunteers for Upcoming Public Service Events

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CAARA logoAre you looking for a practical way to use your amateur radio skills while supporting the community?

At the Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association (CAARA), we provide amateur radio support for half marathons in and around Cape Ann throughout the year (roughly one/month, March through December). We are looking for volunteers to join us in our race support activities. You do not need to be a member of CAARA to participate!

Events are on Saturday or Sunday mornings, with a typical race start time of either 8am or 9am. Radio operators are on site about 30 minutes before the race starts, and are generally finished up around noon. For most races we like to have six checkpoints on the course, plus a lead and tail vehicle.

Volunteering for these activities is a great way to get started with amateur radio public service. You get a chance to experiment with field operation of your equipment, you get to interact with other radio amateurs, and you get to support the runners participating in these events. We can pair you with an experienced volunteer, and we can provide you with a radio if you don’t own one of your own. You can volunteer for a single event or you can become a regular member of our
volunteer team.

We have available positions in all of our upcoming races. You can find the schedule of events at https://sites.google.com/view/caararaces; take a look, pick an unstaffed checkpoint location, and email Kevin Lyons, K1KL, at <kevinlyonsk1kl@gmail.com> if you would like to participate.

—
Lars Kellogg-Stedman <lars@oddbit.com> | larsks @ {irc,twitter,github}
http://blog.oddbit.com/ | N1LKS

Operating / Public Information

Operators Sought for MA 13 Colonies Special Event, July 1-7, 2026

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13 Colonies K2H 250 QSLLarry Krainson, W1AST, writes:

I’m looking for volunteers to serve as special event station operators for 13 Colonies 2026. It runs July 1-7.

If you would like to experience what it’s like to be the “DX” in a pileup and enjoy the rush of making contacts, become a 13 Colonies K2H op.

Your transmitter MUST be in Massachusetts at all times.

This year’s theme is the Declaration of Independence, which was officially proclaimed and read for the first time in Massachusetts on July 18, 1776, from the balcony of the Old State House in Boston.

This is a fun operating event. You can be one of approximately 20 ops in MA. Last year we made close to 20,000 QSOs in just seven days.

The deadline to sign up is May 30th, 2026. If you’re interested in becoming an op for K2H, please contact:

Larry, W1AST
FunHamRadio@gmail.com

Operating / Public Information

2026 World Soccer Tournament Coming to Foxborough!

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W1C QSL cardLarry Krainson, W1AST, writes:

The 2026 World Soccer Tournament is coming to Massachusetts. There will be special event stations running each of the following days. This is a worldwide event with games held here in Massachusetts.

There are seven games being played at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.

Hams are needed every day to run a special event station with the call sign W1C. A special QSL card will be available. All modes and bands can be active.

The dates operators are needed:

Sat, June 13
Tue, June 16
Fri, June 19
Tue, June 23
Fri, June 26
Mon, June 29
Thur, July 9

If you are available to operate any or all of these dates, please contact:

Larry, W1AST
FunHamRadio@gmail.com

Public Information / Youth

Sci-Tech ARS Girl Scouts’ “First Contact” event

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STARS patch(2026-03-21, Natick, MA) The Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society (STARS) in Natick, MA hosted a girl scout troop from Melrose, MA. Sincere thanks go to: Barbara, KC1KGS; Jocelyn (TBD); Seth, KC1PZY;  Max, WØMXX; Brad, KC1TUY; Zachary, KC1NXK; and Bob, K5TEC, for helping teach the scouts on Saturday. It was nice that the girls got to hear from two YLs as well as the rest of us.

In the first of many activities, the scouts got to hold a meteorite from an asteroid and one from the moon, discuss earth to space communications, then watch a three-minute ARRL video about ham radio. 

Next, Barbara gave an inspiring talk about ways girls can get involved with ham radio and become one of the YLs. Joscelyn, a young student here at Sci-Tech, gave a thoughtful and encouraging talk about her journey to get her radio license with suggestions to the scouts for success. 

We watched a two-minute video about our StratoScience Workshop where ham radio is highlighted with high-altitude weather balloon launches, then we visited Max at his research workstation to learn about radio electronics and soldering APRS circuits to track the science projects carried by those balloons. A teen in high school with an Amateur Extra license, Max runs the New England Weather Balloon Society hosted here at New England Sci-Tech.

Then we went outside for a Fox Hunt with Seth who showed off the homemade Yagi antenna and helped the girls find the hidden transmitter. While outside, the scouts had a short exercise in contacting each other using four FRS HTs.

The final activity had the scouts in the radio room where they first listened to contacts made through the International Space Station (ISS). Thanks to Max for arranging that with NASA! (haha) and for running the rooftop satellite tracking system for this activity. Then the girls lined up at the HF station for a lesson with Zachary and Brad. There they all got to make a contact with a YL named Jessica in Oklahoma, KJ5NSH. Thank you Jess!

At the end of the event, the scouts each got an ARRL “First Contact” certificate, carefully filled out by Brad and individualized by the scout leader. They were also thrilled to receive an ARRL radio patch, and a Sci-Tech logo patch. Fun was had by all (and lots of learning, too)! 

— Bob, K5TEC, STARS Secretary

Licensing Education & Training

Nashoba Valley ARC Technician Class Course Begins April 6, 2026

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Nashoba Valley ARC logoThe Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club (NVARC) is offering a free amateur radio licensing course beginning on Monday,  April 6th. The course will prepare students for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Technician licensing exam that will be offered at the completion of the course. The Technician level radio operator’s license is the first of three amateur licenses offered by the FCC. Each license has increased levels of operator privileges.

The course consists of twice weekly sessions, beginning on April 6th, and meeting on Mondays and Wednesdays for four weeks. The course will be held at the Grady Research building, 323 West Main St., in Ayer. Sessions will start at 7PM and last for 2 hours. An FCC license exam will be scheduled for the end of the sessions. The course is free, but there will be an FCC required $15 testing fee if you take the exam. The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, 5th edition, will be the study guide used for the class. These are available online from the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) or Amazon.

This course is open to all, there are no age limits. Pre-registration is required, no walk-ins will be allowed. To register you must contact the instructor, Bruce Blain at (508) 341-5124 or via email at bruce.blain@charter.net.

The FCC Technician license exam covers basic regulations, operating practices and electronic theory, with a focus on VHF and UHF applications. The FCC exam consists of 35 multiple choice questions, chosen from a published list. The FCC no longer requires Morse code proficiency for an amateur radio license. This Technician licensing course is ideal for Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members to quickly get their radio operator’s license.

NVARC has resources available to help new hams with equipment selection, set-up and getting on the air. There are handheld radios available for as little as $30 that will economically get you on the air and talking to other hams in your area.

Club meetings are held at 7:30PM on the third Thursday of each month at the Pepperell Community Center (see the club website or contact bruce.blain@charter.net for club meeting details).

The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club has been meeting in Pepperell MA for over 30 years. It is an American Radio Relay League (ARRL) affiliated club that provides amateur radio training, licensing, and community service to communities surrounding Pepperell and Groton, MA. More information is available on NVARC’s web site, www.n1nc.org.

Licensing Education & Training

Nashoba Valley ARC General Class a Success!

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Nashoba Valley ARC logoBruce Blain, K1BG, writes:

NVARC recently completed our first ever General upgrade class, with our first volunteer exam (VE) session at the completion of the classes. We would like to congratulate the following upgrades to General class:

Kartik, K1AKP
Dan, KB1OPO
Ottavio, KC1PFU
Libby, KC1RKH
John, KC1VTD
Patrick, KC1WNU
Matt, KC1YLN
Phil, KC1YNF
John, W1JHK

Additionally, Patrick, KC1WNU, and John, W1JHK, also upgraded to Extra class! And John, KC1YTJ, who participated in our recent Technician license classes, passed the Technician exam at the exam session.

Classes were organized by Bob, N1DVC, and Bruce, K1BG, and were held at Grady Research in Ayer.  Volunteer Examiners were Ray, AA1SE, Les, N1SV, Skip, K1NKR, John, KK1X, and Bruce, K1BG.

Please congratulate all of the students!  And thanks to all those who helped with the license classes and the VE session.

Flea markets & Conventions

2026 HamX: Call For Speakers

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2026 HamX logo

 

HamX is the largest amateur radio convention in the Northeast!  With close to 1,800 attendees each year, HamX draws radio amateurs from all over and is an ideal venue to present your ideas and experiences.

This is a call for speakers on topics of general interest to the amateur radio community.  Some examples include: Operating practices, contesting, DXing, mobile stations, emergency communications, emerging activities, STEM outreach, club improvement, radio history, restoring antique gear, test equipment, kit building, antenna design, AI in amateur radio, VHF/UHF/Microwave/Mesh, EME and more.  If you have a story to share, we would like to hear about it.

To submit a talk proposal, please go to the following website and enter the requested information. 

 https://registration.hamx.org/speaker/

If you have any further questions, please reach out to the program chair at the e-mail address listed below.

We look forward to your contribution at HamX 2026!

Mark Noe KE1IU

HamX Program Committee Chairperson

ke1iu@hamx.org

Operating

2026 ARRL Celebration of the USA 250 Semiquincentennial

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America 250 logoDear Massachusetts Hams,

I am reaching out to you, to see if you would like to be part of the 2026 ARRL Celebration of the USA 250 Semiquincentennial Special Operating Event. This is part of the Year of the Club and the 100th Anniversary of the ARRL Field Organization along with a year long Worked All States (WAS-250).

I am the state manager for Massachusetts.

For two weeks in 2026, there is the ability for stations located in Massachusetts to operate as W1AW/1. ARRL membership is not required. The weeks are as follows:

• February 11-18
• August 12-21

August 14th & 15th will be an SSB operation from the New England HamXposition in Marlboro. They will have precedent in choosing the band and mode (probably SSB) for a block of time.

We are looking for ops that can get on multiple times during this week, from your club, home, mobile or portable stations and work stations that will be hunting you. Your transmitter MUST be in Massachusetts.

Modes that can be operated are:
• SSB
• CW
• Digital
• Satellite

ALL Logging MUST be done with computer logging that can export in ADIF format. The log will be sent to me once your operating has completed.

All volunteers will need to work together and share operating times with the team of ops.

There will be an operation guide emailed a few weeks before the operating week to all volunteers.

If you are interested in volunteering for the first Massachusetts operating in February, please contact:

Larry Krainson, W1AST
FunHamRadio@gmail.com

Clubs

W1 QSL Sorting Party at Nashoba Valley ARC Meeting, Pepperell, November 20, 2025

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Nashoba Valley ARC logoThe Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club‘s November meeting is Thursday, November 20th at 7:30 PM at the Pepperell Community Center (in Pepperell). We start gathering at 7 PM to socialize before the meeting starts. The November meeting is traditionally our W1 QSL Bureau night where the club sorts several thousand QSL cards for the incoming W1 QSL Bureau. Come and learn about “QSLing” and how cards move between bureaus all over the world.  Pizza and soft drinks follow the card sort, as well as socializing with other club members and friends.  It is, by far, my favorite club meeting of the year.  It’s a social experience you won’t want to miss, and it’s a lot of fun. 

Additionally, one of the benefits of NVARC membership is that the club PAYS the cost for its members to send their cards through the outgoing ARRL QSL bureau.   <https://www.arrl.org/outgoing-qsl-service>
https://www.arrl.org/outgoing-qsl-service.    The ARRL requires that you are a member to use the outgoing bureau.  You can prove this in several ways – take a copy of the front cover of your current edition of QST (the label has your Member Number and expiration date on it).  Or log-in to the ARRL website and click on your name just to the right of “Hello” at the top of the page.  Print the page (which contains your Member Number and your expiration date).  Then “follow-the-rules”:  <https://www.arrl.org/files/file/QSL/OUTGOING_QSL_SERVICE_2025.pdf> https://www.arrl.org/files/file/QSL/OUTGOING_QSL_SERVICE_2025.pdf.  NVARC will handle packing and payment, but you must sort the cards and provide proof of membership.

As always, feel free to bring a friend.

Come and join the fun!

If you need directions to the club meeting, please click  <http://binged.it/smoogg> 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  <mailto:bruce.blain@charter.net> bruce.blain@charter.net

Emergency Communications

IMPORTANT: Clear Frequencies for Caribbean Hurricane Impacts

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hurricane flagsBrian Szewczyk, NJ1F, writes on the YCCC list:

Some very important information about frequency to keep clear this weekend..

As the Caribbean faces potential hurricane impacts, IARU Region 2 has activated emergency nets on the following frequencies:

  • 40 meters: 7.198 MHz and 7.098 MHz
  • 20 meters: 14.198 MHz

If the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) activates, they will be operating on:

  • 14.325 MHz
  • 7.268 MHz

The amateur radio station at the National Hurricane Center, WX4NHC, will also be monitoring the HWN frequencies for real-time weather and situation reports.

This weekend coincides with the CQ World Wide SSB Contest, one of the busiest times on the bands. All operators are urged to exercise extra vigilance and avoid transmitting on or near these emergency and hurricane watch frequencies.

These nets are providing critical communication links supporting the Caribbean Islands and affected regions. Please ensure they have clear and reliable access to designated frequencies.

In summary:

  • Keep clear of 7.198, 7.098, 7.268, 14.198, and 14.325 MHz
  • Be aware of possible emergency or health-and-welfare traffic on nearby frequencies
  • Operate responsibly and help maintain open frequencies for those supporting hurricane response efforts.

Updates at https://www.arrl.org/news/tropical-storm-melissa-update

Brian

NJ1F

Clubs

“The Sport of Radio Orienteering” at Sci-Tech ARS Meeting, October 21, 2025

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New England Sci Tech logoTuesday, October 21: “The Sport of Radio Orienteering” by Eduard Nasybulin. (In-person at NEST)

Description: Radio Orienteering combines traditional orienteering with radio signal direction finding. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the sport’s history and origins, followed by its key principles and rules. Selected courses from recent U.S. and World Championships will be highlighted. In addition, participants will see demonstrations of radio receivers, transmitters, sports maps, and other essential equipment.

Bio: Eduard Nasybulin has been involved in radio orienteering since the late 1990s, beginning as a high school and college student. After a break, he returned to the sport in 2017 and has since competed in every U.S. Championship, as well as three World Championships. Professionally, Eduard has a background in materials science and engineering, with over 20 years of experience in electrochemical energy conversion and storage.

Clubs

K1BG: “Radio Contesting for Beginners” at Nashoba Valley ARC Meeting, October 16, 2026

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Nashoba Valley ARC logoBruce Bain, K1BG, writes:

The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s October meeting is TOMORROW, Thursday, October 16th at 7:30 PM at the Pepperell Community Center (in Pepperell). We start gathering at 7 PM to socialize before the meeting starts.

Yours truly, Bruce, K1BG, will give a presentation on Radio Contesting for Beginners.  Due to our recent license classes, we have a lot of new hams in the club who are discovering what amateur radio is all about.  The presentation will focus on what amateur radio contesting is, show everyone how they can participate, and remove any misconceptions or reservations they might have.  There should be something for everyone – experienced or not – during the talk.

I look forward to seeing you there.

If you need directions to the club meeting, please click  <http://binged.it/smoogg> 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

Organization

Pass the Bill! Have you Sent Your Letters?

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ARRL logoARRL’s push to pass the bill has great momentum, but we need EVERY radio amateur in the United States to send their letters.

Your participation can make the difference in passing this legislation.

It only takes seconds. If you’re a licensed ham in the US, go to https://send-a-letter.org/hoa/, enter your call sign, validate your address, and click the red SEND MY LETTERS button. It really is that easy!

In less time than it takes to make a single QSO, your letters will tell Congress to remove the legal restraints on hams living in restrictive HOAs to put up an antenna.

Follow the link at https://send-a-letter.org/hoa/ to send your letter now!

What it is:

The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act (see ARRL News 02/07/2025) is a pair of bipartisan bills — H.R.1094 in the House and S.459 in the Senate – which are designed to prevent restrictive homeowners’ association (HOA) rules that currently prohibit or severely limit the installation of amateur radio antennas, even when such antennas are hidden in trees, placed in attics, mounted on vehicles, or look like flagpoles.

Se Habla Español – Pasar el proyecto de ley

Si su lengua materna es el español, ARRL ha creado instrucciones y una página web para que envíe sus cartas al Congreso.

Descargue las instrucciones aquí:

https://send-a-letter.org/espanol/

 

Clubs

N1QD: “Digital Mobile Radio” at Boston ARC Hybrid Meeting, October 16, 2025

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Boston ARC logoThe Boston Amateur Radio Club’s Ham Radio Basics speaker series continues in October with Joe Harris, N1QD, giving a presentation on Digital Mobile Radio (DMR). The talk will cover an overview of digital voice for ham radio as well as a discussion on how to program your radio to work with the club’s 449.175 DMR repeater.

The BARC general meeting will be held on Thursday October 16th at 7:30 pm at the Artisans Asylum and on Zoom.

[Email w1bos@arrl.net for Zoom information.]
Clubs / Youth

KC1TCM: “Summer Field Trips in Ham Radio, Computers, and Engineering” at Sci-Tech ARS Hybrid Meeting, October 7, 2025

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KC1TCM at YOTA 2025
Oliver Johnson, KC1TCM at the YOTA-Junior campus at the Voice of America station

Join by Oliver Johnson, KC1TCM, for  “Summer Field Trips in HAM Radio, Computers, and Engineering” at the Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society hybrid in-person/Zoom meeting, 16 Tech Circle in Natick, MA at 7 PM on October 7, 2025. [Email info@nescitech.org for Zoom details]

Description:

Oliver was one of twelve young hams to attend the first-ever YOTA-Junior camp in summer 2025 at the Voice of America Museum in West Chester, Ohio. YOTA and YOTA-Junior campus are focused on increasing youth engagement with Ham radio. Oliver will present photos and experiences from YOTA-Junior and lessons for increasing youth engagement. He will also present other radio and computer summer experiences including Try Engineering Camp at University of Pennsylvania, a visit to the Wright-Patterson Air Force museum and a visit to the National Electronics Museum and Computer Systems Source in Hunt Valley, Maryland.

Bio: 

Oliver Johnson, KC1TCM, went from Tech to Amateur Extra at age 13 via New England Sci–Tech (NEST) classes. He regularly participates in STARS, operates at W1STR, and performs projects at NEST. In 7th grade he ran a fundraiser to buy soldering stations and kits and start an electronics club at Holliston Middle School, so far teaching more than a dozen students to solder and build kit projects. Andrew Johnson, KC1TDZ, has published more than 250 scientific papers and is a Tenured Professor in Biomedical Sciences, but mainly he’s just Oliver’s Dad and along for the ride.

Clubs

W1DAN: “SIGSALY: ­Pioneering Digital Techniques in WWII” at Algonquin ARC Meeting, Marlborough, October 9, 2025

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AARC logoThe next Algonquin Amateur Radio Club meeting will be held on September 9th at 7:30 pm in the library of the 1st Lt. Charles W. Whitcomb School, 25 Union St, Marlborough, MA. Enter from Agoritsas Drive next to the police station and use Door #1 at rear of building.

Dan Brown, W1DAN, will present: “SIGSALY: ­Pioneering Digital Techniques in WWII.”

Foxhunting

MBTA Accessible Fox Hunt, Alewife-Cambridge Vicinity, September 27-28, 2025

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MBTA logoEliot Mayer, W1MJ, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list and Boston ARC mailing list:
 
The W1MJ fox will be deployed this weekend (September 27-28) on public land near Alewife Station, which is on the MBTA Red Line and several bus routes.  
 
If coming by car, start at one of the following parking lots:
 
Hours of Operation:
Saturday:  10:00 AM until 7:00 PM
Sunday:  7:00 AM to 6:00 PM
 
Frequency:  147.54 MHz
 
The fox is running 4 watts to a roll-up J-pole antenna, so bring your attenuator.  Depending upon how well shielded your radio is, hunting with no antenna may prove helpful.  Hunting on the 3rd harmonic (442.62 MHz) may also be helpful when you get very close.  For more information about this fox, see https://www.w1mj.com/fox/.