Fox Deployed, North Chelmsford, March 5, 2023

Tim Miranda, W1MWS, writes on  NEMassFoxHunters at 12:59 PM on March 5, 2023:
 
Finally got my first fox transmitter. It’s somewhere in the Bill Edge Deep Brook Conservation Land, 124 Dunstable Road, North Chelmsford MA. You can hear it from the parking lot on 146.565 MHz, transmitting every 35 seconds or so. It should last through Friday.
 
Tim Miranda
W1MWS – EMA ARES ADEC
(978) 331-0930

Bob Glorioso, W1IS, Interviewed on “QSO Today” Podcast

Photo of W1IS in his ham shack“Robert ‘Bob’ Glorioso, W1IS [Stow, MA] had early beginnings in electronics and radio, encouraged by his father, led Bob to advanced degrees in engineering, a stint in the US Army, and opportunities to be on the cutting edge of technology throughout his career with major corporations and his own startup.  The consummate teacher, Bob has developed new hams through courses at the local ARES.  W1IS has been a frequent contributor to ham radio publications for over 50 years, is a contributor to the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo, and my guest in this QSO Today.”

Project Big E 2023 is Ramping Up

Project Big E logoLarry Krainson, W1AST, writes:

Project “Big E” is back again and plans are underway to staff an amateur radio display booth this year. Changes will be made to how the booth will be arranged and presented to the public.

 This year, the dates are Friday, September 15 thru Sunday, October 1. We will be applying for another grant and if we get one, we will be able to provide admission tickets and parking reimbursement again this year.

Last year was a lot of fun for everyone and we hope you will join again for another Big E.

Stay tuned for updates at https://nediv.arrl.org/project-big-e/ as we get closer.

The volunteer registration form is at: <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YdW57tREYSlDdPp8YSKBYUqNkl6OVrAbpcVCclvT4Hw/>.

Cape Ann ARA “Tech In A Day” Class Produces Five New Hams

CAARA logoFive individuals passed their exams at a recent Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association “Tech In A Day” course and are now  Technician class amateurs:

Larry Swift – Gloucester, KC1SOV
Sander Schultz – Gloucester, KC1SOT
Mark Klemm – Danvillle, NH, KC1SOW
Andrew Traskos – Newton, NH, KC1SOU
Brian Lloyd – Gloucester, KC1SOO

“We invited them back to CAARA for their “Now You are Licensed” discussions on Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 12 Noon,” reports CAARA VE Bill Poulin, WZ1L. “I want to present them to the board and the CAARA membership, and welcome them to Amateur Radio formally.”

Poulin says that they will discuss local repeaters, show them 10 meters, introduce them to Echolink, and, of course, answer any questions. 
 
“I will give a plug for ARRL membership.  I know a few of them took QST Magazines I had on the table.”
 
CAARA will offer the new amateurs a one-year membership. They’ve also been invited to participate in the club’s nets.
 
WZ1L believes that some will begin studying for their General class licenses.

 

AA1SE: “The BIG E Amateur Radio Display and ARISS Contact” at Algonquin ARC, March 9, 2023

AARC logoThe March Algonquin Amateur Radio Club meeting will feature Ray LaJoie, AA1SE, Section Manager for Western MA, speaking about the Amateur Radio display at The BIG E in the fall. Ray will talk about booth display planning as well as ARISS space station contact and how it all came together for the seventeen-day event.

The meeting will be held in­ person March 9, 2023 at 7:30 pm in the library of the 1st Lt. Charles W. Whitcomb Middle School, 25 Union Street, Marlboro, MA. Enter from Agoritsas Drive next to police station and use Door #1 at rear of building.

“Facing scrutiny like never before, New England’s amateur balloonists are feeling the pressure”

From The Boston Globe, February 28, 2023:

“In July, Seth Kendall and his 12-year-old son, Max, plan to fill a giant latex balloon with gas and then launch it into the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

“Once it leaves the ground it will reach a height of around 100,000 feet, where it will expand to more than 40 feet wide. Dangling underneath will be a payload of science experiments designed by students, a device that bounces radio signals for hundreds of miles, and a GoPro camera to capture footage of the curvature of the Earth.

“From there, it will be smooth sailing — at least, that’s their hope.

“A string of recent high-profile, balloon-related incidents, including the military shooting down a Chinese surveillance balloon and several other yet-to-be-identified flying objects, have fueled anxiety among amateur balloonists across the country. Here in New England, where hobbyists and scientists routinely launch balloons for scientific research or kicks — or often both — fears about the fate of their projects are reaching new heights.”

[Full story]

K1GGI: “Cape Cod’s Fabulous Radio History” at Barnstable ARC Hybrid Meeting, March 6, 2023

Barnstable ARC logoThe Barnstable Amateur Radio Club will meet in-person on March 6 at 7:00 PM at the Brewster Police Department Community Room, 631 Harwich Road (Rt 124), Brewster, MA 02631. In addition we will provide a Zoom link to the meeting. This month,  Ed Moxon, K1GGI, will present “Cape Cod’s Fabulous Radio History.”

[Contact Norm Cantin, WA1NLG, at norman.cantin@gmail.com for Zoom details.]

Whitman ARC Offering Amateur Extra Licensing Class

Recent licensing class held by the Whitman ARCBob Azanow, WA1Q, writes In K1USN Happenings, February 23, 2023:

[The Whtman ARC Amateur] Extra class started on Tuesday, February 21 […]. But there is no problem catching up if you would like to join; just give our training manager Ross, W1EKG, a call, email, and or show up at the Whitman Police Station on Thursday evening, February 23.

Classes will run Tuesday and Thursday each week until April 13. The VE session will be Tuesday, April 18 at 7 PM.

Sorry for the late notice on this. More info found at the training link including Ross’s phone number: http://www.wa1npo.org/training/training.htm.

Beaver Works / MIT Amateur Radio License Class for High Schoolers Begins March 4, 2023

Beaver Works MIT Ham Radio Class flyerDaniel Sheen, KC1EPN, writes:

The folks over at W1MX have been organizing an amateur radio class for high schoolers with Beaver Works at MIT for the spring. It starts on March 4th and we still have space for more people, I was wondering if any of your members know anyone who might be interested?

The signup link is here: https://mit-bwsi.formstack.com/forms/bwsi_spring_2023_hamradio

Thanks.

W6BSD: “Digital Voice Modes for Amateur Radio” at Waltham ARA Meeting Online, February 22, 2023

Waltham ARA logoNext meeting is Wed Feb 22nd at 7:00 pm
(zoom opens at 6:30)

The next meeting of the Waltham Amateur Radio Association will be this Wednesday [February 22, 2023] at 7:00. The meeting will be held on-line with no in-person gathering this month. (zoom links below). After a short business meeting, Fred, W6BSD, will be giving a presentation providing an overview of the various Digital Voice Modes:

Digital Voice Modes for Amateur Radio

You don’t need a General or Extra class license to enjoy QSOs with people worldwide. All amateur license classes can use Digital Voice (DV) modes such as Fusion, D-Star, DMR, and many others to connect with people throughout the US and other countries using digital repeaters or amateur hotspots. During his presentation, Fred will discuss the differences between the DV modes and how the backend infrastructure works.

[For meeting information, see https://walthamara.org/.]

New General Class Element 3 Question Pool Goes Into Effect On July 1, 2023

ARRL VEC logo/bannerFrom ARRL VEC Newsletter, February 2023:

General Class Element 3 Question Pool Errata Released 

The NCVEC Question Pool Committee (QPC) has released the latest errata for the 2023 – 2027 General Element 3 question pool, which goes into effect on July 1, 2023. Nine questions were modified (G1B01, G1C01, G1C02, G5C02, G7C10, G9B05, G9C09, G9D09, and G9D10) and two questions (G9C06 and G9D13) were withdrawn from use. 

The pool is available as a Microsoft Word document and PDF. These changes are reflected in the new General Pool download file dated February 1, 2023. 

New General Examinations will take effect for exam sessions on July 1, 2023

The newly revised general pool must be used starting July 1, 2023. VECs and VEs will have new test designs available starting on that date. Previously supplied versions of ARRL VEC General-class exam booklets (2019 series) and computer-generated General-class exams from the 2019 question pool are valid until midnight on June 30, 2023. The ARRL VEC will supply its officially appointed, field-stocked VE teams with new General exam booklet designs around mid-June. 

NUWC Soldering Workshops

Northeastern Univ Wireless logoNortheastern University Wireless Club President Marty Sullaway, NN1C, writes on on the NUWC mailing list:

Tonight was the Super Bowl. Unfortunately the Patriots did not make an appearance, but nonetheless, I am sure people tuned in to watch. While our Super Bowl for Wireless does not involve parties, TV ads, and millions of people, our soldering workshops are our next best thing.

The staple of our workshop series are our soldering workshops. This week we are offering the same workshop twice. Join us at 7 PM in Dodge 050 on Monday 2/13, or in our club space (503 Hayden) at 7 PM on Thursday 2/16. We will be building a revised version of our popular traffic light project. Both sessions are expected to fill up, so be sure to arrive on time to make sure you get a seat. If for some reason we are filled up, have no fear, we will work you in.

For those who might already know how to solder, take the time during the workshops this week to pay our club space a visit, pay your door code dues and solder up a small project; study for a ham radio exam. We just restocked the club space, and plan to do so again soon.

Here’s to soldering week!

K9EID: “An Evening With Bob Heil” at North Shore Radio Association Hybrid Meeting, February 21, 2023

North Shore Radio Association logoEric Horwitz, KA1NCF, writes on the North Shore Radio Association mailing list:

We have a great speaker over Zoom: “An evening with Bob Heil, K9EID” [on February 21, 2023 at 7 PM].

1n 1966, Bob founded Heil Sound, experimenting with live sound systems and becoming the technician to several venues around St Louis.  He has played organ at age 15 at the Fox Theater in St. Louis and in his tuning of organs “Learned to Listen.” He has been a vendor of sound systems for various musicians and music groups, He made the “Talk Box” for Peter Frampton, Joe Walsh and Richie Sambora. Bob entered the amateur radio market in 1970. He developed his HC series microphones intended for amateur use.

 
[Zoom conference information will be sent via the NSRA groups.io mailing list.  Contact Eric, KA1NCF, at ka1ncf -at- nsradio -dot- org to be added to the groups.io list.]
 
 
 

New England Division Town Hall Meeting, February 23, 2023

ARRL logoFrom nediv.arrl.org:

Phil Temples K9HI, our Assistant Directors, and I will hold our next New England Division Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, February 23rd, at 7 pm ET. The purpose of the meeting will be to provide you with an ARRL update, get your thoughts on what we should be focusing on, and answer any questions you might have about the ARRL and what we are doing on behalf of ARRL members here in New England.

We plan to spend a good deal of our time together answering your questions. If you’d like to send us a question in advance, you can do so via an email to ab1oc@arrl.org, or you can just plan to ask your questions during the Town Hall Meeting.

We will hold our Town Hall Meeting via a Zoom Webinar. You can get your personal link to join the Town Hall Meeting via the following link (paste the link in your browser to register) –

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-4QVGZj_THG1VXImuTnazQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

We hope to see you on February 23rd!

——————————————————————–
ARRL New England Division
Director: Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC
ab1oc@arrl.org
——————————————————————–

Barnstable ARC holds Winter Field Day at Scout Camp

From nediv.arrl.org:

Barnstable ARC logoRob Leiden, K1UI, writes:

The Barnstable ARC (BARC) held its first Winter Field Day (WFD) at Boy Scout Camp Greenough in Yarmouth, MA this weekend.  The Club and the Boy Scouts are working together to put a permanent amateur radio station at the camp.  As part of the close relationship being forged with scouting, BARC (W1MA) set up a 2O station in the camp and manned it around the clock with a dozen volunteers.  Since the Administration building was winterized with no heat or water, it was an ideal location for an outdoor experience including temporary heaters and bringing in water.  Although the effort was smaller than BARC’s summer Field Day, setting up the antennas and operating in cold weather gave both old timers and newer operators valuable experience.  Don, KT1OK (foreground) and Lem, W1LEM were finishing the operation on Sunday afternoon, logging a few last-minute contacts on 15 and 40 meters.

665 contacts were made on 5 bands using emergency power with stations as far away as Hawaii.  BARC is taking every opportunity to showcase amateur radio at Camp Greenough that hosts camp outs to scouts from all over Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

Winter Field Day continues this effort that began with Jamboree on the Air last Fall and continues with WFD and the removal of trees in preparation for Eversource to install three donated poles for the permanent radio station antenna supports.

 

WA3SWJ: “All About Home Automation” at Barnstable ARC Hybrid Meeting, February 6, 2023

Barnstable ARC logoThe Barnstable Amateur Radio Club will meet  in-person on February 6 at 7:00 PM at the Brewster Police Department Community Room, 631 Harwich Road (Rt 124), Brewster, MA 02631. In addition we will provide a Zoom link to the meeting. This month, Bruce, WA3SWJ, will present “All about Home Automation.”

[Contact Norm Cantin, WA1NLG, at norman.cantin@gmail.com for Zoom details.]