W1HAI to be Featured on Pittsfield Community TV, WTBR-FM, February 17, 2021

WTBR-FM studio

Eastern Massachusetts Heavy Hitters Traffic Net Manager Joe Weisse, W1HAI, will be the featured guest on Ham On!, simulcast on Pittsfield Community Television and WTBR-FM 89.7. The early morning program is produced and moderated by Western MA Assistant Section Traffic Manager Peter Mattice, KD2JKV. Joe will speak about his upcoming presentation at the Bacon Free Library along with Dan Brown, W1DAN.

“Ham Radio Contesting” at Northeastern Wireless Club, February 11, 2021

photo of W1KBN shack, Northeastern Univ. Wireless ClubFrom NUWC mailing list:

Hello fellow radio enthusiast! This week we be learning about the foundation of our club, Ham Radio.

In particular we are learning about contesting! Contesting is a great way to use ham radio whether you are just learning or you are an expert. It usually takes place during a extended time interval where ham radio enthusiast – a team or individual – compete to make contact with as many as they can. This can be a great activity get out and socialize with new people especially in this age of isolation, and contest are a great opportunity to pick up the basic of using your license!

The meeting is this Thursday, February 11th, 6-7 PM. The meeting will be on Zoom, hope to see you all there! 

Norfolk County Radio Association Meeting Online, February 10, 2021

The NCRA conduct its Wednesday, February 10, 2021 meeting at 8 PM using Zoom in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Jim, WJ1R, will be our Zoom host.  Thank you to Jim for agreeing to take on this role!

It will be a good opportunity to see and hear our members!  We have a few business items to cover, but we will let everyone have a chance to speak.

Please note that we do need to end the Zoom session shortly after the meeting ends so please be mindful of our host asking us to end our discussion after the meeting closes.  Thanks in advance for your cooperation and understanding!   

73,

Dick, K1HC

New England Sci-Tech Technician Online Courses Throughout February, 2021

New England Sci Tech logoONLINE COURSE – BEGINNER LEVEL – TECHNICIAN LICENSE

This ONLINE ham radio class will get you ready to take the Ham Radio TECHNICIAN license exam, the FIRST of three certification levels. Geared toward adults, as well as junior high, high school, and home-school students. Yes, we give online ham radio exams, too! (See below)

This is a FULL course taught by a 40-yr veteran teacher, not a discussion group or video service. You will learn much more than just watching a video or buying a book.

Topics range from the science of radio electronics to the FCC rules governing the radio spectrum. Optional text: ARRL Technician Class License Manual, 4th edition, for exams through June 30, 2022, (purchase on ARRL website). Regular practice and study is necessary to get the best results from this course.

Amateur radio (or “ham radio”) is used by people all over the world to communicate over radio waves. Some people use ham radio for emergency preparedness, to provide communications support for community events, to report on severe weather and natural disasters, as a social activity, and even occasionally to contact crew members on the International Space Station!

ONLINE HAM RADIO CLASS FOR TECHNICIAN LICENSE

  • 2 day course: SAT-SUN FEB 6-7, 9:00am-3:00pm, Eastern Time
  • 2 day course: SAT-SUN FEB 13-14, 3:00-9:00pm, PACIFIC Time, special for our friends on the west coast
  • 2 day course: SAT-SUN FEB 13-14, 6:00pm-midnight, EASTERN Time, same as the above course for west coast
  • 4 day course: T-W-T-F FEB 16-19, 3:00-9:00pm, PACIFIC Time, special for our friends on the west coast
  • 4 day course: T-W-T-F FEB 16-19, 6:00pm-midnight, EASTERN Time, same as the above course for west coast
  • 4 day course: M-T-W-T FEB 22-25, 3:00-6:00pm, Eastern Time

Included with course: You will get downloadable lecture study guides and charts, free access to our weekly Online Radio Shop Talk sessions, and a guest pass to the NEAR/STARS Radio Rooms and ONLINE radio club meetings for 3 months, online or in-person.

Family Free: Additional members of the same family may join this course at no extra charge, if sharing one computer and zoom screen.

System Requirements: Computer or Chromebook capable of running ZOOM Meeting, either by Zoom app or through a web browser, a web camera/mic, and a printer.

Zoom Link: A few days before the session you will receive an email with instructions to the course details, documents, and Zoom link. If you don’t see the email, check your spam filter. If you still don’t see it, call or email us.

Please be aware of our Cancellation and Refund Policies. For questions, e-mail info@nescitech.org or call 508-720-4179.

LICENSE EXAMS

YES, our exam team is authorized to give ONLINE exams, so you can schedule your FCC Technician exam within a few days of finishing the course. Note that we must collect the standard $15 exam fee for the ARRL VEC separately from the course fee. (Fee is $15 across the country.)

We administer ham radio exams both online and in-person, having proctored nearly 2,000 exams over the past decade. We’ve taught amateur radio classes for over 15 years with tremendous success. Hundreds of people have taken our classes with 99% having passed the exam to become licensed operators. We offer classes for all three levels of ham radio licenses: TechnicianGeneralAmateur Extra, as well as Morse Code.

 

New England Sci-Tech General Online Courses, February 15-18 & February 27-28, 2021

New England Sci Tech logoAmateur radio (or “ham radio”) is used by people all over the world to communicate over radio waves. Some people use ham radio for emergency preparedness, to provide communications support for community events, to report on severe weather and natural disasters, as a social activity, and even occasionally to contact crew members on the International Space Station!

This ON-LINE course will get you ready to take the Ham Radio GENERAL license exam, the SECOND of three certification levels. Geared toward adults, as well as junior high, high school, and home-school students. Yes, we give online ham radio exams, too! (See below)

This is a FULL course taught by a 40-yr veteran teacher, not a discussion group or video service. You will learn much more than just watching a video or buying a book.

Topics range from the science of radio electronics to the FCC rules governing the radio spectrum. Optional but recommended text: ARRL General Class License Manual, 9th edition, for exams through June 30, 2023, (purchase on ARRL website). Regular practice and study is necessary to get the best results from this course.

NOTE: You MUST have a thorough understanding of the Technician and General material before taking this course.  If you are already a licensed Tech or General but have been away from radio for a while, you may request to audit (at half price) one of our Tech and/or General courses to catch up.

Current offerings:

  • Four day course: Mo-Tu-W-Th FEB 15-18, 3:00-6:00 pm Eastern Time each day.
  • Two day course: SAT-SUN FEB 27-28, 11:00am – 5:00pm Eastern Time each day.

System Requirements: Computer or Chromebook capable of running ZOOM Meeting, either by Zoom app or through a web browser, a web camera/mic, and a printer.

Included with course: You will get downloadable lecture study guides and charts, free access to our weekly Online Radio Shop Talk sessions, and a guest pass to the NEAR/STARS Radio Rooms and radio club meetings for 3 months, online or in-person.

Family Free: Additional members of the same family may join this course at no extra charge, if sharing one computer and zoom screen.

Zoom Link: A few days before the session you will receive an email with instructions to the course details, documents, and Zoom link. If you don’t see the email, check your spam filter. If you still don’t see it, call or email us.

Please be aware of our Cancellation and Refund Policies. For questions, e-mail info@nescitech.org or call 508-720-4179.

License Exams:

YES, our exam team is authorized to give ONLINE exams, so you can schedule your FCC General exam within a few days of the course. Note that we must collect the standard $15 exam fee for the ARRL VEC separately from the course fee. (Fee is $15 across the country.)

We administer ham radio exams both online and in-person, having proctored nearly 2,000 exams over the past decade. We’ve taught amateur radio classes for over 15 years with tremendous success. Hundreds of people have taken our classes with 99% having passed the exam to become licensed operators. We offer classes for all three levels of ham radio licenses: TechnicianGeneralAmateur Extra, as well as Morse Code.

K1DDN: “Amateur Radio Emergency Communications” at Algonquin ARC Meeting Online, February 11, 2021

AARC logoMike Powell, W1KU, writes in the Algonquin ARC QRZ newsletter:

The next [Algonquin Amateur Radio Club] meeting will be held on February 11, 2021 at 7:30 pm online via Zoom. Information on joining this virtual meeting will be sent out in advance via email.

This month we continue our series of remote virtual speakers with Amanda Alden, K1DDN, speaking on Amateur Radio Emergency Communications.

[For Zoom conference information, email Mike Powell, W1KU, at <president@n1em.org>.]

 

 

“Young students discover a different form of communication”

photo showing students of Bruce Blain's Morse code class in Foxboro schoolEastern MA Affiliated Club Coordinator Bruce Blain, K1BG, is featured in a story in The Foxboro Reporter, “Young students discover a different form of communication” that describes his efforts in teaching a Morse code class for a group of sixth-graders in Foxboro:

“In a year that has often been isolating, eight students from Foxboro are exploring a different way to communicate.

They are taking a virtual course in Morse code through the CW Academy.

Liam Polis, 11, a sixth-grader who is home-schooled this year, said his mother signed him up for the class, and at first, he wasn’t sure about it, but then found it to be fun.

‘It’s different than other classes because we learn on our own and then check in with the teacher, but it’s fun. I learned a lot about the history and use of Morse code and also the letters: a, e, i, o, s, t, n, m, y, l and number 1 for week one,’ Liam said.

His mother Rebecca Murphy said everything people do in life involves understanding a code or a pattern, so whether it’s learning a foreign language, math or history, recognizing and interpreting patterns is an important skill.”

[Full story]

Northeastern Wireless Club To Staff Table at COE Fair, February 4, 2021

Northeastern Wireless Club members will staff a table at the NEU College of Engineering Clubs/Organizations Fair on February 4, 2021. 

According to the NWC mailing list: “The COE club fair is a great way to hear and find out more about various clubs and activities on campus related to STEM. Many clubs table there so it is a great place to find out more about getting involved. All are welcome and we would love to talk to anyone about Wireless Club so feel free to stop by any time 6 PM to 8 PM.”

QCWA Scholarship Awarded to Catherine Hong, KC1MFU

Catherine Hong, KC1MFUFrom nediv.arrl.org:

The Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc. has announced its Memorial Scholarships winners.  Among the recipients are: Catherine Hong, KC1MFU, who attends the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

“Catherine Hong, KC1MFU […] is a sophomore at MIT, double majoring in Mechanical Engineering (design concentration) and a Joint degree in Comparative Media Studies & Brain and Cognitive Science. She wants to be a conscious creator, imbuing objects and experiences with functional and/or narrative value. To do so, she must understand how people find meaning and interpret the world around them, how society shapes and is shaped by media & technologies, and how to technically plan, design, and create the ideas she imagines. In her free time, Catherine draws profusely, engages in kitchen experiments, and picks up new skills from the extracurricular activities she is in, such as the computing club, the caving club, the VR/AR club, and the Radio Clubs.” –QCWA February 2021 eJournal

K1AZE: “Remembering the FARA Legacy” at Framingham ARA Meeting Online, February 4, 2021

Framingham ARA logo John Iwuc, KB1VXY, writes on the Framingham ARA mailing list:

Lew Nyman, K1AZE, FARA President from 1976 to 1982 will talk on: “Remembering the FARA Legacy” [at the Framingham ARA meeting online on February 4, 2021.]

Lew notes the following:

“I joined FARA in 1973 when we were called the Framingham Radio Club. Back then Enzo Rotatori, WA1PYF, was president. I quickly got involved with organizing our hamfests. I was elected president in 1976 and served as president until 1982. I then became club director and also W1FY trustee until the fall of 1995 when Raytheon relocated me to Alabama. During a lot of these years I was flea market chairman and also custodian of our 75/15 repeater. I was also on the committee to establish our club as one of the first clubs to be certified as a VE (Volunteer Examiner) club when that program was established by the FCC.  

My talk will focus mainly on those years when I was active in the club. They were significant years for our club since we achieved many milestones. I also will recall some interesting stories during those 22+ years. ”  

[Email KB1VXY at president@w1fy.org to to receive the Zoom registration link.]
 

Whitman ARC Meeting Online, February 3, 2021

Whitman ARC logoFrom wa1npo.org:

“[The next Whitman Amateur Radio Club] monthly meeting will be Feb 3, 2021 at 7PM  and [will] be a remote meeting broadcast live via ZOOM.  A link will be sent out to the membership via email.  This has been working well so far. Unfortunately, the Knights of Columbus hall is now limited to 10 folks for now per the governor’s mandate.  Social distancing rules are enforced. We will recess, returning to meetings at the K of C at a later date but is not looking good.”

 

Donna Halper: “How the Amateurs Created Boston Radio” at Billerica ARS Meeting Online, February 3, 2021

Billerica ARS logoFrom w1hh.org:

Join us for the next [Billerica Amateur Radio Society] club Zoom meeting for an interesting and informative presentation by Donna Halper, noted Boston Radio Historian entitled “How the Amateurs Created Boston Radio”. This will be a wonderful presentation by Donna that I am sure everyone will enjoy! Hope to see you then!

For Zoom conference details, email Doug Bruce, KC1MJK, at douglas.bruce1 -at- comcast -dot- net.

KW1U to be Featured on Pittsfield Community TV, WTBR-FM, February 10, 2021

KW1U at WTBR-FM studio

Massachusetts Section Traffic Manager Marcia Forde, KW1U, will again be the featured guest on Ham On!, simulcast on Pittsfield Community Television and WTBR-FM 89.7. The early morning program is produced and moderated by Western MA Assistant Section Traffic Manager Peter Mattice, KD2JKV. Marcia will speak about the ARRL National Traffic System and message handling.

Amateur Extra License Class Offered by Whitman ARC Beginning January 28, 2021

Whitman ARC logoThe Whitman Amateur Radio Club will hold a weekly Amateur Extra license classes for about ten weeks sessions on Thursdays beginning on January 28, 2021. Additional classes may be available and will be offered on Tuesdays. A VE session will follow the class.  Material will be based on the ARRL Amateur Extra Class License Manual.

Interested parties are asked to contact the course instructor, Ross Hochstrasser, W1EKG, via email at warc.training@gmail.com and cc to bavarianradio@comcast.net, by phone at 781-447-9104 or visit http://www.wa1npo.org/training/training.htm for additional information.

Waltham ARA Meetings Online Available to Non-Members

Waltham ARA logoWaltham Amateur Radio Association President Ron Senykoff, KG1T, has established a Google form signup page to allow non-WARA members to sign up for online meeting notifications “while giving us protection against ‘Zoom bombers.'”
 
Please visit https://walthamara.org/meetings/ to find the sign up form.
 
The Waltham ARA meetings are held on the last Wednesday of the month from September through May.

N3QE: “CW Speeds and Prosigns In Ham Radio Contests” at K1USN Radio Club Meeting Online, February 2, 2021

Tim Shoppa, N3QEK1USN Radio Club Zoom session on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 @ 7:30 PM EST by Tim Shoppa, N3QE, CQ Magazine Contest Editor
 
Topic: “CW Speeds and Prosigns In Ham Radio Contests”
 
Tim will explore not just the modern range of speeds (typically 20-40 WPM but some are slower) and will play back some recorded audio of CW preserved from the 1957 ARRL DX Contest for contrast with modern contesting.
 
It will only be a tiny fraction of the whole talk to play back the ancient audio, but it’s really neat to hear famous contest calls from the 1950’s booming through loud and clear, many using a straight key or even having a bit of chirp.
 
Also noticeable in the 1957 archive, most speeds were 15 WPM or so (some were above 20 WPM), most everyone was giving honest RST’s, and full “HIS CALL DE MY CALL 579 579 MASS MASS KN” with prosigns etc being used. It’s quite a contrast with everyone being 5NN now, and prosigns not generally being used today.
Included in the survey of speeds is, of course, the SST’s 🙂
 
Presentation is not long, under half an hour. There will be opportunity for Q & A followup. The session will be recorded for upload to our K1USN radio Club YouTube channel.
 
If anyone would like to attend, they just need to send me an e-mail (k1rv@arrl.net) and I will be sending out invitations starting on Sunday, Jan 31st. As always, we ask that the Zoom login information not be shared with others to help us minimize the possibility of “Zoom Bombing”.
 
By the way, anyone who has previously signed up for K1USN Zoom sessions is already on the invitation list.
 

KC1DKY Foxhunting Activities Highlighted on Wilmington Cable TV

KC1DKY foxhunting featured on Wilmington cable TVNick Mollo, KC1DKY, writes:
 
I recently interjected on a Facebook post on one of the Wilmington groups where they were talking about letterboxing and geocaching and I mentioned fox hunting using radios.  This got picked up by one of the content producers at Wilmington Cable TV.  He contacted me to ask about fox hunting and how it related, and told me he was going to put together a piece on what he called “modern day treasure hunting”.  We set up a Zoom interview, and even my daughter got involved, and he interviewed us.
 
If you are interested, you can watch the video – the whole program is just over 13 minutes, and our segment is the first six minutes or so.  I hope I did the sub-hobby the justice that it deserves.
 
 
Enjoy!  My daughter and I look forward to getting back out there when the weather starts getting warmer again.  I hope you are all staying safe and healthy!
 
73 for now!
 
Nick
KC1DKY