Emergency Communications

Hello to all…

Planning is well underway for the 2022 Boston Marathon! The BAA opened volunteer registration continues to be open and it will close on Friday, February 18, 2022. Returning volunteers should have received an email from the BAA with details about how to register.

New volunteers can sign up via http://register.hamradioboston.org/

We have also provided a step by step guide on how to select Amateur Radio volunteer positions during the registration process:
https://hamradioboston.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/44002294773-2022-volunteer-registration-step-by-step-guide

If you have any questions about the upcoming volunteer registration period, or the 2022 Marathon generally, please get in touch anytime via the email address contact@hamradioboston.org

Thank you, and 73,

Boston Marathon Communications Committee
contact@HamRadioBoston.org

Good evening,

It is with great disappointment that I send this note notifying you all that we will not hold a January Net. We had hoped that we could start the new year off on a positive note and even though most of you have still not returned to your regular facilities shacks, we were hoping for a large turnout from home and mobile stations. Being able to run the net from South Shore Hospital’s shack and communicate with its wide area coverage would make that possible.

We do have access to our shack. however, we have been informed by our group’s Vice President, Karen N1VI, also a medical professional at South Shore hospital that given the hospitals current environment, high patient counts and staff shortages (which comes as no surprise, all hospitals statewide are in the same boat) that it would be advisable for our group to cancel our January meeting (and net) and not tempt Covid with our presence.

I occasionally kid Karen about her call N1 Very Intelligent, and how appropriate it is. We all have great respect for her knowledge and opinion especially regarding anything of a medical nature. Our group agreed to take Karen’s suggestion.

We hope everyone is being very cautious, getting vaccinated and boosted, and wearing a mask in public in the presence of people you don’t know the status of.

I gave a neighbor a ride to an appointment for eye surgery the other day. Even though I knew both of us are fully vaccinated and boosted we both wore KN95 masks.

I look forward to next month. hopefully things will be better and we can all get back to our monthly net.

Keep your fingers crossed and mask up.

73,
John O’ K1JRO and the members of the South Shore Hospital Amateur Radio Group

Hello to all…

The January Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday January 3rd, 2022 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 detailing plans for the new year.

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 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
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John O’Neill-K1JRO writes:

Hello,

We wish everyone a Happy New Year.

The first Saturday of the month being New Years Day we will not hold a net until the 2nd Saturday in January. We will be sending out an announcement with the repeaters that will be used sometime over the weekend.

We look forward to hearing you all January 8th. Remember, if you do not have access to your regular location, we encourage you to check in from home or your mobile if possible.

Regards,
John O’Neill
South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group

Rob Macedo, KD1CY, writes on WX1BOX.org:

SKYWARN Recognition Day 2021 (SRD’21) will occur this year but modified due to COVID19 and the fact NWS offices are not allowed to have volunteer Amateur Radio Operators at any NWS office due to COVID. Similar to last year, a social media component will be added to engage non-Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters more with 2021’SRD. An additional update on SRD’2021 will be posted Friday Morning 12/3/21.

Due to COVID19, typical WX1BOX Amateur Radio Operations will not occur at NWS Boston/Norton. There is a possibility similar to last year through the efforts of employees at NWS Norton who have Amateur Radio licenses, the WX1BOX station will be on the air for a few hours during SRD. Otherwise, the WX1BOX Amateur Radio team will be operating remotely via their home stations. The NWS Gray Maine office cannot be active at the office due to the same restrictions on volunteers at NWS offices nationwide but will have remote SRD operation for 2021.

For WX1BOX Amateur Radio operations, we will cover the typical SKYWARN repeaters on VHF/UHF as well as simplex and be on HF via the various remote home stations along with our WX1BOX social media pages. In addition, contacts with other Amateur Radio SKYWARN stations will count towards NWS certificates. Similar to 2020, there will be a social media component to engage non-Amateur Radio and Amateur Radio SKYWARN spotters alike. The current set of information is available and additional information will be made available on the SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) web site via the following link:
https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition.

Also, all participants are welcome to register on the SRD web site. They can obtain a SRD number. The SRD Number for this year is part of the QSO exchange but is not a requirement. It is something new since 2020’SRD so as always there will likely be some glitches and delays in getting the SRD number but if you register and obtain your SRD number, please feel free to add that to your exchange.

Good evening,

My apologies for writing at this hour. I’ve tried several times today to sit down and write this out and kept getting interrupted by one thing or another.

I thank those that responded to our email of 12-2-21.

I’ll respond to everyone in this single email.

Although we had some responses, it is less than a handful of folks that responded and could commit to joining us Saturday. At this point in time, I think it best that we forego the December Net and focus on 2022 and look forward to getting back full swing. DMR radio will never replace analog radio for last mile communications when the chips (end everything else) is down. But DMR does have great benefits as long as the repeaters have networking capability. We have our own Talkgroup on NEDECN repeaters from Boston to the Islands and I would like to see us utilize this great resource. The COVID-19 situation took a heavy toll on us when we were all suddenly prevented from accessing our hospital’s locations and our radio equipment. Every time we thought we could see light at the end of the tunnel it got dark again. With the uncertainty of the new SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, hopefully that will not add additional time.

We are fortunate that we are back in SSH. Even though we may not have adequate external participation to hold a net, we are ready and capable of supporting the organization should they need remote communications.

Chuck: I hope you get your Star Link system soon. I hope you can resolve the issue of the MV NEDECN connectivity. What repeaters can you reach from MV? We try and keep at least one Cape Cod repeater in the mix or at least a repeater with good coverage that most Cape users should be able to hit.

Rob: good luck tomorrow, have fun with SkyWarn.

Tom: thanks for offering to check-in. It would be nice to have Braintree Emergency Management check in to our monthly nets.

Nicholas: you folks at Mansfield EMA have been terrific not only checking into the nets on a regular basis but also taking the reins and acting as Net Control on a few occasions. Much appreciated. As for home stations, we have said for years that members of groups who can not attend at their regular shacks should check-in from home. You may not be able to reach all the repeaters that are being used that month but even checking in through just one confirms that your home station could be used as an alternative site or as a relay station. Members of the SSHARG check in from home when unable to attend the nets at SSH. Funny you should mention a Zoom meeting. That was suggested to me a few days ago by Joan Cooper-Zack SSH’s Emergency Preparedness Manager as an early 2022 EMHN event.

For everyone, food for thought: Over the years SSH has been Net Control for the EMHN the majority of the time. We defaulted to the position because we couldn’t get others to give it a try. We would love to see Net Control duty rotated among several groups. Not only is it good practice but what would happen if SSH was not able to in an actual incident to be Net Control? Who would take the reins and get a net up and running? Nobody gets is right 100% the first few times. The more you do it the easier it gets and the more comfortable you get doing it. Its like riding a bike (or think back to when you were a new ham and first picked up the mike and pressed the PTT, your first QSO). Net Control gets to pick which repeaters from our list they would like to use for their Net. At SSH we try and rotate among the strongest machines with the greatest footprint to reach the largest possible group. Sometimes this is not always successful and we are out of reach of some folks.

Charlie: sorry things are looking bleak at Falmouth Hospital. Things were starting to look good for a while until the Delta Variant surfaced. I thought for sure you guys were going to be welcomed back with open arms shortly.

Well, that’s all the news that is the news from SSH. The entire team here wishes everyone a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season.

We look forward to talking with you all in 2022.

73,

John O’ -K1JRO
For the entire SSH Team…

John O’Neill – K1JRO writes:

Good afternoon Everyone,

Net Control for the November 6, 2021 Eastern MA Hospital Net will be W1SSH the South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group. The net will commence at the usual time of 10: AM using the following repeaters / frequencies in the order listed.

1. W. Bridgewater 146.775 dcs 244
2. Attleboro 147.195 tone 127.3 (Sturdy Memorial Hospital)
3. Dartmouth 147.000 tone 67.0
4. DMR on the NEDECN Boston, Hingham, Bourne, Dennis, and Martha’s Vineyard repeaters. TG:8851 TS:1

The Net will then return to the W. Bridgewater Repeater for final comments and Net closing.

NET Protocol: Please wait for Net Control to ask for Check-ins. When asked to check in please use the standard net check-in procedure which is: Here is.., un-key, wait 3 seconds to check for doubling, then give your or your facilities call sign, your first name, and your facility’s name.

We extend an invitation to any health care facility or EOC of any city or town that is served by one of the participating hospitals to join the Net. We also extend an invitation to any RACES or ARES member to check in during the NET.

We are always looking for groups or organizations to try their hand at Net Control duties. If you are interested in joining the group please let us know. We can be reached by sending an email to ssharg@outlook.com. The goal is to rotate Net Control practice and the experience among as many individuals and groups as possible.

We thank the repeater trustees for their generosity in allowing us to conduct the monthly nets and the use of their systems in an actual event. The following list of repeaters is available for our use. Only a few systems are used each month with the selection of those used made by Net Control for that month. More systems are being added to the list on a regular basis.

Repeaters
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 131.8
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 dcs 244
Wrentham 147.09 tone 146.2

We look forward to hearing from you all on the Net.

Respectfully,

John O’Neill – K1JRO
_._,_._,_

KC1AEI-Matt Knowles writes:

Hi all!

I’m passing along this message in hopes that there are some more amateur
radio operators interested in volunteering at the 2021 Head of the
Charles with special attention for those willing to work on safety
launch boats.

In keeping with the theme of creating a safe environment to hold W1R,
the World’s #1 Regatta, and after consulting with a team of experts from
Massachusetts General Hospital, we’ve updated our COVID-19 guidelines.
Only individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be
eligible to volunteer. We may require proof of vaccination closer to
race weekend. “Fully vaccinated” individuals are those who have received
two doses of an mRNA vaccine series (Pfizer or Moderna) or a single dose
of the Johnson&Johnson vaccine, with at least two weeks having elapsed
since the final dose. A third “booster” dose is not required for
participation.

Perks of volunteering: A nice Vineyard Vines quarter zip, branded with
the Head of the Charles Regatta logo. You’ll also get a boxed lunch
delivered to you (or to the dock where a safety launch can come in and
pick up), and gluten free and vegetarian options are available. Aside
from that, all I can offer is a fun day on or near the water with a
great crew of volunteers!

Here is the link for Regatta Central.
https://volunteer.regattacentral.com/hocr/browse This is where you will
go to register to volunteer.

There are lots of exciting updates about this year’s event being posted
on social media, so be sure to like and/or follow Head of the Charles
Regatta on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hocr1965/, Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/HOCR1965 , and Twitter https://twitter.com/HOCR
to stay in the loop. If there are any questions with this, please send
them my way and I’ll answer them to the best of my ability. I know that
this is short notice, and I appreciate your consideration and hope to
hear from you. Thanks!

Matt Knowles
KC1AEI
Matt Knowles <matthewsknowles@gmail.com>

Hello to all…

This is the second in a series of monthly Eastern Massachusetts ARES reports that we have published on the Eastern Massachusetts ARES web site and will redistribute via the ARRL Section News provided we can meet the Section News deadline with our report. In the future, we plan to include additional statistical information on number of SKYWARN and ARES activations, total number of ARES members in the section as well as a narrative report in key happenings in Eastern Massachusetts ARES. We hope everyone finds these reports informative.

As this ARES report is being written, the 125^th running of the Boston Marathon will take place on Monday 10/11/21. We thank all Amateur Operators and those that are Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters and ARES members for their participation in race day despite COVID and dealing with the COVID precautions. We wish everyone a great and fun race day on Marathon Monday. Also upcoming for public service events are the Baystate Marathon and the Head of the Charles Regatta.

Eastern Massachusetts ARES has lost a key member of its staff. Metro Boston ARES District Emergency Coordinator, K1BTH-Blake Haskell is now a silent key along with his wife Deb Haskell. Eastern Massachusetts ARES honored Blake with a last call on the October Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net and on many of the RACES nets that took place. The ARES Net and Sector 2 RACES Net last calls were recorded and can be heard here:

https://ema.arrl.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Sector_2C_RACES_Net_K1BTH-Blake-Tribute.mp3

https://ema.arrl.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Eastern_Mass_ARES_Net_K1BTH-Blake-Tribute.wav

The Eastern Massachusetts ARES staff will review his vacancy and announce a replacement over the course of the next 1-2 months. Our sincerest condolences are extended to the friends and family of Blake and his wife Deb and to all in the Amateur Radio and Public Safety community that knew them.

The month of September after Labor Day was a bit less active from an ARES-SKYWARN perspective as the weather pattern changed allowing for less activations. Nonetheless, the weather pattern remained fairly wet across the region with 6 self-activations for SKYWARN during the period mostly for heavy rainfall events but also for isolated severe thunderstorms on 3 of the self-activation for SKYWARN. More information on the larger activations with post storm reports and photos from the 2021 tropical and severe weather season will be posted on wx1box.org over the course of the next week.

ARES/SKYWARN members from across the country including Eastern Massachusetts support the VoIP Hurricane Net as Hurricane Larry made landfall in Newfoundland Canada. Details on this activation can be seen here:

https://ema.arrl.org/2021/09/16/voip-hurricane-net-lauded-for-efforts-during-hurricane-larry/

As we go through the month of October, the threat of direct impacts of tropical systems to our region is less as water temperatures cool but strong hybrid coastal storms become a potential concern. Given the continued very wet weather pattern of the last few months, we will need to monitor this potential for both SKYWARN and ARES activations.

Eastern Massachusetts ARES will conduct its Simulated Emergency Test (SET) coincident with the national Winlink exercise on Saturday 11/13/21 from 1000 AM-1200 PM. Further details will be posted on the Eastern Massachusetts ARES/ARRL section web site towards late October.

Thanks to all for their continued support of Eastern Massachusetts ARES!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
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KA8SCP-Terry Stader, MEMA Region 1 RACES Radio Officer & ARES District Emergency Coordinator writes:

I apologize for this late notice on this.

Amateur Radio operators have been asked once again to support the Baystate Marathon and Half Marathon. This year the event is on Sunday, October 17th. Our operational time period is from approximately 0700 until event completion (estimated 1400). Our assistance has been requested by Lowell Office of Emergency Management and Lowell Fire Department. The communications team will be employing Amateur Radio to provide this communications asset.

Amateur Radio will be used for:
* Accountability net: the purpose of this net is to coordinate with a race public information booth the status of runners who are unable to complete the race for any issue to any one is seeking this information.

Race info may be found at http://baystatemarathon.com. Course map is found at https://www.baystatemarathon.com/course-map-description-spectator-info

Please contact me if you are able to assist or would like more information.

Please share with others that may be interested. This is a pretty laid back event and suitable for first time public event participation.

Terry-KA8SCP

Terry M. Stader – KA8SCP
MEMA Region 1 RACES Officer
EMA District Emergency Coordinator

Hello to all…

The October Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday October 4th, 2021 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. For this month’s ARES Net, we will be doing a “last call” for Metro Boston ARES District Emergency Coordinator, Boston Amateur Radio Club member, town of Hull RACES/Communications Officer, friend and Amateur Radio Operator, K1BTH-Blake Haskell who became a silent key Thursday 9/30/21. We will also announce our plan to conduct our Eastern Massachusetts ARES SET (Simulated Emergency Test) drill for Saturday 11/13/21 from 1000 AM-1200 PM along with several other announcements.

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 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://www.wx1box.org
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Good afternoon Everyone,

Tomorrow October 2, 2021 we WILL NOT be holding an Eastern MA Hospital Net. The members of the SSHARG will be providing communications support for the annual Set the Pace Road Race.

https://www.southshorehealth.org/give/friends-south-shore-health/set-pace-road-race

We will resume our monthly net in November on the 6th , the first Saturday in November at 10am.

73s,
South Shore Hospital Amateur Radio Group

Hello to all…

This will be the first in a series of monthly Eastern Massachusetts ARES reports that we will begin publishing on the Eastern Massachusetts ARES web site and will redistribute via the ARRL Section News provided we can meet the Section News deadline with our report. In the future, we plan to include additional statistical information on number of SKYWARN and ARES activations, total number of ARES members in the section as well as a narrative report in key happenings in Eastern Massachusetts ARES. We hope everyone finds these reports informative.

It has been a very active month of August from an ARES-SKYWARN perspective. A total of 7 SKYWARN activations have occurred between early August through early September. The largest activations were for Tropical Storm Henri and its impacts to mostly Southeast, South-Central and Southwest Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut and the remnants of Ida which occurred last Wednesday Night into Thursday. During Henri, Eastern Massachusetts ARES was placed on standby and over 120,000 lost power in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut with the most power outages in Rhode Island where over 80,000 lost power which is around 15-20% of the state of Rhode Island. The WX1BOX Amateur Radio team was active with self-activation gathering reports from ARES-SKYWARN teams all across the NWS Boston/Norton coverage area with numerous reports sent to WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, where reports from our network made the 11 AM August 22^nd, 201 National Hurricane Center advisory. Some of this activity was covered by ARRL HQ and here are links to those articles:

http://www.arrl.org/news/grace-and-henri-keep-amateur-radio-weather-spotters-busy

http://www.arrl.org/news/hurricane-watch-net-turns-attention-to-henri-as-storm-hits-new-england

The remnants of Ida slammed the region with a widespread 3-8” of rain with isolated amounts approaching 9” causing widespread significant pockets of flash flooding. The remnants of Ida also caused severe weather in the from of straightline wind damage from wind gusts between 40-55 MPH with isolated higher winds of 60-80 MPH in thunderstorms in Dartmouth, Rochester and Yarmouthport, Massachusetts with an EF0 Tornado in Dennis Massachusetts. Cape Cod ARES-SKYWARN was active overnight and provided critical damage reports during the overnight hours through the efforts of KB1QCQ-Tom Wruk. Later in the morning based on some reports of storm damage received in Yarmouthport Massachusetts, KB1TLR-Barry Hutchinson, was able to provide excellent photos of the damage area and Tom and Barry’s information were part of the NWS Boston/Norton storm survey to determine that a EF0 Tornado occurred in Dennis Massachusetts with max winds of 75 MPH and straightline wind damage of 80 MPH occurred in Yarmouthport Massachusetts.

More information on these activations with post storm reports and photos will be posted on wx1box.org over the course of the next week.

Cape Cod ARES conducted a district exercise on Saturday August 7^th. The drill went well with communications via NBEMS (Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System), Winlink, HF and 2m simplex all practiced during the exercise. The exercise also received excellent publicity from Cape Cod ARES via the following link:

https://www.barnstablecounty.org/2021/08/10/local-volunteer-ham-operators-integral-part-of-regions-emergency-response-complete-summer-field-exercise/

A reminder that the Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net for the month of September will be on the second Monday in September on Monday 9/13/21 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater Network due to the holiday on the first Monday of the month immediately following the RACES Nets which are also moved due to the Labor Day holiday. Hope to hear folks check into the net on Monday 9/13.

As we go through the month of September, we will be approaching the peak of hurricane season. Given the very wet weather pattern of the last few months, we must remain vigilant for any tropical systems that could impact our region as either a Tropical Storm/Hurricane or a remnant system for both SKYWARN and ARES activations.

Thanks to all for their continued support of Eastern Massachusetts ARES!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://www.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/wx1box