Author: k9hi

Clubs

Boston ARC Special Meeting/ Tour at Massport Fire Hq., March 15, 2018

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Boston ARC logoThe Boston Amateur Radio Club will hold a special meeting at Massport Fire Rescue Headquarters, 261 Harborside Drive, East Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday, March 15, 2018. A tour of MassPort Fire Department apparatus will commence at 6:45 PM, followed by a short trip to Santarpio’s pizza at 7:15 PM concluding with the general meeting at 8:00 PM. Attendance for this event is limited to 25 individuals.

Steve Staffier, K1SMS, Massport’s Communications and Interoperability Manager, will talk about communications interoperability followed by a presentation about Massport Fire Rescue by Deputy Chief Robert Barnes.

Parking is available at Massport Fire Headquarters, 261 Harborside Drive, East Boston, Massachusetts. The Fire Department is located past the Hyatt Hotel. Please park in designated spaces.

Since we’re literally in the neighborhood, we will have Santarpio’s Pizza for dinner. A suggested donation of $7.50 per person is requested.

Due to space limitations at the facility, we will only be able to accommodate 25 members. If you’re interested in attending this meeting, you must send an email to k1bth@arrl.net no later than March 7, 2018. Management reserves the right to cancel the evening if not enough people sign up by March 7.

All

FEMARA Named to Maxim Society

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Mike_K1TWF_Handing_5K_Donation_Check_to_ARRL_Foundation
FEMARA president Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF presenting $5,000 donation to ARRL Foundation president K1KI (right). Fellow board member K0QB is shown (center).

The Federation of Eastern Massachusetts Amateur Radio Associations has been named to the Maxim Society based on its past scholarship donations to the ARRL Foundation.

A recent ARRL Board ruling now allows ARRL Foundation donations to be included in achieving Maxim Society status ($10,000 or more).

“FEMARA is now Maxim thanks to all the donations to the FEMARA Scholarship Fund over the years,” announced Lauren Clarke, KB1YDD, ARRL Development Manager to FEMARA president Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF.

FEMARA, Inc. is responsible for organizing the New England Division Convention held each year in Boxboro. The 501 (c) (3)  corporation is charged with “providing funding for educational scholarships for amateur radio operators.”

Emergency Communications

Eastern MA Hospital Net, March 3, 2018

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John O’Neill, K1JRO writes:

The March 3, 2018 Eastern MA Hospital Net is approaching. We are always looking for groups or organizations to take a turn at Net Control duties. If you are interested in trying your hand as Net Control please let us know. Our goal is to rotate Net Control practice and the experience among as many groups as possible.

Below are the repeaters we have available for our use. Let us know which 3 or 4 repeaters you would like to use and we will make all the notifications. We’ll also send you a copy of our net preamble if you desire which you may modify for your own use.

Attleboro 147.195 tone 127.3 (Sturdy Memorial Hospital)

Belmont 145.430 tone 146.2

Boston 145.230 tone encode 88.5 tone decode 100.0
Bridgewater 147.180 tone 67.0
Danvers 145.47 tone 136.5
Dartmouth 147.000 tone 67.0
Fall River 146.805. tone 67.0
Falmouth 147.375 tone 110.9
Mansfield EMA  446.925 tone 100.0
Mansfield 147.015 tone 67.0
Marshfield 145.390 tone 67.0
Norwood 147.210 tone 100.00
Plymouth 146.685 tone 82.5
Salem 146.88 tone 118.8
Sharon 146.865 tone 103.5
Weymouth 147.345 tone 110.9 (South Shore Hospital)
W. Bridgewater 146.775 dpl 244
Wrentham 147.09 tone 146.2
Clubs / Licensing Education & Training

Genesis ARS Linux Workshop Sessions

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Genesis ARS logoThe Genesis Amateur Radio Society linux training sessions continue through March, 2018.

According to GARS Project Manager Jack Buckley, W1AKN, the sessions will address:

  • March  3: Linux application install, setup, and configure for specific users, i.e. callsign, location, grid, station data, rig control settings, etc.
  • March 17: Continue work with the many ham applications included in Andy’s Ham Radio Linux 

The training sessions run from 9 AM until 12 noon in the Genesis ARS meeting room at the Plymouth Airport.

Licensing Education & Training

Middleborough Licensing Class “A Success”

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Middleborough amateur Phil McNamara, N1XTB has concluded a six-week Technician licensing class with great results.  “Twelve folks passed, three did not. Two more couldn’t attend the exam session and will be going to a different session.”

The Eastern MA Amateur Radio Group in Canton conducted the testing session.

McNamara conducted the class at the request of the local Medical Reserve Corps  coordinator. “He agreed  that we could open it up to the local boy scouts.  Several of the scouts passed, so we have some new young hams!”

Operating / Public Information

Special Event Station W1MGY to Commemorate 103rd Anniversary of HMS Titanic Sinking

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Special Events Station W1MGY, April 14, 2017
Special events operation in April, 2017. Photo courtesy @kathyschrock

Special events station W1MGY will operate at the old Coast Guard Station in Eastham on Cape Cod from April 12th until 1:46 AM April 15th to commemorate the tragic loss of the HMS Titanic.

This event is sponsored by the Titanic / Marconi Memorial Radio Association of Cape Cod and hosted by the Cape Cod National Seashore. It will be open to the public on Saturday, April 14th.

“We still have some time slots open (four hours each). If you live in the area and would like to participate in this historical event, drop me a note and I place you on our e-mail list and let you know what time slots are open.” (Info via KB1TLR, W1MGY trustee)

All / Clubs / Operating

SEMARA Debuts New Station

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photo of newly renovated SEMARA club shack, Feb. 13, 2018After months of work, Southeastern MA Amateur Radio Association members are putting the finishing touches on their new station at the clubhouse at 54 Donald Street in Dartmouth.

According to SEMARA member Don Rosinha, WA1BXY, the shack now features a Kenwood TS-570 and an Elecraft, as well as new computers and accessories.

A radio room showing and tutorial event for club members scheduled for last month was postponed by winter weather conditions. It will occur in the near future.

Congratulations to SEMARA for constructing an elegant and functional station for its members.

All / Clubs / Technical

PART of Westford Kit Building Session, March 10, 2018

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PART of Westford logoPART of Westford is holding a kit building session on Saturday, March 10, 2018, according to PART club president Andy Stewart, KB1OIQ.

“The club has chosen the Cricket80A QRP CW transceiver for the 80 meter band,” Stewart says. “I’m looking for a building chairman, two to three Elmers to help and encourage kit builders, a technical person to spend a few minutes explaining the circuit theory, and people who want to build the kit!”

Interested parties should contact KB1OIQ at kb1oiq@arrl.net.

More information about the Cricket80A kit can be found at http://4sqrp.com/cricket.php.

All / Clubs / Licensing Education & Training

Falmouth ARA Technician Licensing Class, March, 2018

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Falmouth Amateur Radio AssociationBrent Putnam, W1NCH writes:

The Falmouth Amateur Radio Association (FARA) is holding a Technician class licensing course over the course of three Saturdays: March 17, 24 and 31 from 9 AM to noon at the Falmouth Fire Rescue Department headquarters, 399 Main Street (entrance on King Street), in the 2nd Floor EOC/training room.

The exam for the students will be held in the same location immediately after the May 31 session.

Cost of the class is $50 and includes:

  • Nine hours of classroom instruction
  • Manual
  • Online test practice and tutoring
  • Refreshments
  • Access to instructors for questions & tutoring
  • License exam
  • 1-year membership with FARA
  • Admission to the 2018 FARAfest
  • Radio (if the student passes)

This is a great value for anyone seeking to get their license, as the total cost of the individual items is well over $100.

Interested? Contact Brent Putnam, FARA President, at W1NCH@arrl.net.

All / Clubs / Public Service

Cape Ann ARA Equipment Registers Earthquake

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Hank McCarl, W4RIG writes on Cape Ann ARA list:

The seismograph [at the Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association] at 6 Stanwood Street [in Gloucester] reported a 2.7 magnitude earthquake with epicenter at East Kingston, NH just north of Amesbury, MA at 9:28 AM on Thursday February 15, 2018.

This quake was also detected by Stan Stone [W4HIX] with his seismograph in Lanesville.  Nice to know that our own MAGLO is operating as part of the USGS Netquake program.

Clubs / Technical

K1YOW Wins QST Cover Plaque Award

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(L-R): QST Cover Plaque Award recipient Joe Dzekevich, K1YOW; ARRL New England Division Vice Director Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF.
(L-R): QST Cover Plaque Award recipient Joe Dzekevich, K1YOW; ARRL New England Division Vice Director Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF. –photo courtesy K1TW

Nashoba Valley ARC member Joe Dzekevich, K1YOW was presented with ARRL’s Cover Plaque Award for his December, 2017 QST article entitled “Upper Level Lows and 6-Meter Sporadic E.” ARRL New England Vice Director Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF, presented the award to K1YOW at the February 15, 2018 NVARC meeting in Pepperell.

The QST Cover Plaque Award is given to the author or authors of the most popular article in each issue and is determined by a vote of ARRL members on the QST Cover Plaque Poll web page.

 

Clubs / Technical

Zola Center Kit Building Workshop, Feb. 17

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Members of the Zola Center ARC are participating in a kit-building workshop on February 17, 2018 at the Irving K. Zola Center for Persons with Disabilities in Newton Highlands.

According to Zola Center ARC’s Bob Druk, WA1UIY, “the group will build continuity testers as a club project. At the December meeting we held a soldering workshop where we they learned the basic fundamentals of soldering. At the end of the session each participant was able to successfully solder the ends of wires together.” Many of the current Zola members are either legally or totally blind.

WA1UIY adds: “The continuity tester project is the next step in their progression. Their goal is to build an AM/FM radio from an Elenco kit which they hope to start by April.”

Additional volunteers are sought to assist in this project.

Dan Brown, W1DAN, Eastern Massachusetts Technical Coordinator and president of the Wellesley Amateur Radio Society will conduct this week’s session.

All / Operating

W1BSA Aboard the USS Massachusetts, April 28, 2018

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USS Massachusetts, Battleship Cove
USS Massachusetts, Battleship Cove

Rick Emord, KB1TEE and other members of the Massasoit Amateur Radio Association  are planning a special events operation to commemorate the birth of the Boy Scouts of America aboard the USS Massachusetts on Saturday, April 28, 2018 using the call sign W1BSA.  The group conducted its first operation  aboard the museum ship in 2015.

MARA members and  amateurs from other area clubs will serve radiomen (operators) on the ship from 0900 until 1600.  In the past, the crew has activated six stations on the air for this event on 2, 10, 20, and 40 meters and CW on 80 meters using some of the ship’s original equipment.

Organization

N1BLF Now Recording Eastern MA Section Audio News

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Bob Zeida, N1BLF
Bob Zeida, N1BLF

A Dartmouth amateur is now producing audio recordings of monthly Eastern MA Section News.

For over thirty years, Bob Zeida, N1BLF has volunteered his time with the Talking Information Center, a nonprofit reading service that broadcasts newspapers, magazines, books, and special consumer information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to visually impaired and print-impaired listeners. Bob has also recorded ham-related materials from QST and CQ Magazine for the Courage Kenny Handiham System.

“It struck me that your section newsletter […] would be a nice opportunity for me to promote ham radio activities by inserting audio commentary about some of the local ham radio clubs throughout Massachusetts.” In addition to entire audio recordings, Bob will select certain materials from the section manager’s letter to include in his weekly TIC hobby program. “I would pick and choose by weekly broadcast time-frame those activities that would coincide with the audio airing date.”

N1BLF’s first recording of the January, 2018 Section News can be found online.

Clubs

Marlborough Flea Market, Feb. 17, 2018

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Agonquin ARC logoThe Algonquin Amateur Radio Club is again holding its Marlborough Flea Market on February 17, 2018 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the 1Lt Charles W. Whitcomb School, 25 Union St., Marlborough, MA. Talk-in is on the MMRA repeater, 147.27+ (PL 146.2).

A VE session will be held beginning at 9:00 AM. General admission is $5. Vendor tables are $15 before February 9, 2018, or $20 at the door if space is available. Each table includes one admission.

For more information, contact Tim Ikeda, KA1OS at 978-333-0067 (before 9:00 PM), email fleamarket@n1em.org or visit http://www.qsl.net/n1em/2018flier.pdf.

Clubs / Licensing Education & Training / Youth

Clay Center ARC Courses in March, April 2018

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Clay Center ARC logoThe Clay Center ARC has announced it will conduct three courses for the public, starting in late March and April, 2018.

“We have teamed up with Brookline Adult and Community Education (BA&CE) and Newton Community Education (NCE) to offer a radio Technician Class course for adults and child-parent pairs to facilitate their successful completion of the FCC radio license test.  Children who pass the test receive a free membership in the Clay Center Amateur Radio Club, the largest youth-oriented radio club in New England.”

Clay Center will also hold Technician and General Class “License In A Weekend” events.

For full details, visit http://www.cc-arc.org/courses/.

Clubs

Plymouth Repeater Going Digital

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Genesis ARS logoJack Buckley, W1AKN writes on the Genesis ARS list:

We are getting closer to operating on N1ZIZ (147.835 -600) in the digital (NXDN) mode. The first of March will be the official date for using NXDN on N1ZIZ. The N1ZIZ repeater currently is operating on the analog FM mode with the repeater configured to operate in mixed mode which allows for both digital and analog operation.

The PL 82.5 must be reprogramed to the new PL 131.8. Anyone wishing to have assistance with this reprograming is invited to drop in next Sat Feb. 17. Come with the rig in question and we will see if we have the cable (bring the programming cable if you already have one) You may bring your cable and software (we will attempt to employ Chirp program, but cannot guarantee the rig is included in Chirp app yet) If you wish to get the app setup on your PC, bring your PC in (we are conducting GARS Linux training but you can bring MS for this session) You must have adapter and AC cord along with an extension cord to power you rig

Bottom Line N1ZIZ is configured as follows:

  • Both PL 82.5 and 131.8 are configured on the repeater right now
  • Only 131.8 will be supported post March 2018
  • Mixed Mode = NXDN to NXDN and or Analog to Analog
  • PL of less than 100 has been shown to be unreliable on the Icom Commercial FR5000 repeaters (this includes N1ZIZ)
  • PL 131.8 will be supported going forward

As always:

Please come join us at a Genesis ARS business meeting they are conducted every last Monday of each month.

GARS Business Meetings are at Plymouth Airport, Gate #2, Community Room AKA: precinct voting room, 7PM – 8PM with speakers most meetings!