Algonquin ARC Field Day 2018

Algonquin ARA Field Day 2017 photoThe Algonquin Amateur Radio Association will conduct its Field Day operation June 23-24 at the Marlborough Emergency Operations Center at the Central Fire Station, 215 Maple St, Marlborough. The group will operate three stations–possibly four–in the “F” Category (Emergency Operations Center). 

 

 

Update: June 21, 2018:

David “Shack” Haralambou, W1SHK writes on the Algonquin ARC mailing list:

Here are the plans for Field Day at this moment:

  • We will be running 4 stations
  • We will be using N1MM Logger at each station
  • Setup will begin at 9 AM on Saturday at the Main fire station EOC room
  • Contesting begins at 2 PM
  • We WILL be running an overnight crew and be live on the air from 2 PM Saturday until Noon on Sunday
  • Cleanup will begin at Noon on Sunday
  • You are welcome to come down and operate/log anytime during the event (even if it is only for an hour)

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible this weekend!

Waltham ARA Picnic and Field Day 2018

Waltham ARA logoWaltham Amateur Radio Association posts on its web site:

On Saturday, June 23, 2018, WARA will combine a club picnic and a four-hour operation in the ARRL Field Day.

Time:  12:00  – 6:00 PM
Location:  Sunset Shelter, Prospect Hill Park, Waltham (near the repeater site)

The club provides hamburgers, hot dogs, buns, condiments, and water.   Attendees may optionally bring other food items to share.

The FD operation is very laid back, and everyone is welcome to operate.

New England Amateur Radio Field Day 2018

2018 Field Day logoNew England Amateur Radio, Inc. writes:

According to the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), Field Day is the most popular on-the-air operating event in Amateur Radio.  Always on the fourth full weekend of June, the event draws tens of thousands of amateur radio operators across the country to participate by setting up public demonstrations of the Amateur Radio service.

This is the big event you look forward to all year! Where we go “off-grid” for 24 hours and run on solar or generator power, operate from tents or vehicles, and make contacts all over North America!

Come join the fun at the headquarters of New England Amateur Radio, 16 Tech Circle, Natick, MA. We plan to have the NEAR Van again, the converted news truck, and a GOTA station where beginners and unlicensed people can “Get On The Air” and learn. There will be an exam session for anyone who wants to get a license or upgrade, and of course plenty of food and coffee.

WHERE: New England Amateur Radio Club on the site of New England Sci-Tech

WHEN:   Sat., June 23 to Sun., June 24, 2018
Public is welcome: Sat. 3 pm – 6 pm and Sun. 9 am – noon for tours, soldering workshop, hidden transmitter hunts, and license testing.
(Full Schedule will be posted soon)
A radio license test session will be held on Saturday at 6:30 pm.

DMR Simplex Mountaintop Activity Planned, June 17, 2018

Gene Balinski, K1NR shared this photo of a summit on the air operationon the Algonquin ARC mailing list from Tim Watson, KB1HNZ:
 
I just wanted to get the word out that our club is planning a DMR Simplex activity for Sunday morning, June 17th. We will be having parties travel to the summits of Mt. Washington, NH, Mt. Equinox, VT, and Mt. Greylock, in Western Mass. We’re hoping to try for a couple of summit to summit contacts, but also, in order to make it a worthwhile [Summits On The Air] activation, we’d like to be able to work a few other stations besides each other. 

From past experience, calling CQ on DMR simplex doesn’t yield much, so please help spread the word!

The party on Mt. Washington will include KC1HBM and KC1XT.

Myself (KB1HNZ) and my wife, K1GJY will be traveling to the summits of Mt. Equinox and Mt. Greylock. The first stop will be Mt. Equinox, sometime between 8:30-9:00 AM.

We will be using 145.790 for VHF, and 446.075 for UHF. 

Boston ARC Field Day 2018

Boston ARC logoJoe Harris, N1QD writes on the Boston ARC mailing list:

We are counting down the days to the 2018 edition of ARRL Field Day!! Setup will begin at 8:30AM on Saturday, June 23 at the Bare Cove Fire Museum. The plan is to repeat the 3A with a VHF setup that has been used the past few years. Logging will be done with N1MM+, and there will be opportunities for phone, CW, and digital ops. Will the stars finally align for a satellite QSO? Will 15 or 10 open? Will there be another 6 meter opening? Find out June 23 and 24!

The signup form for the 2018 Boston Amateur Radio Club Field Day is now live! If you are planning on attending Field Day, please let us know by filling out the signup form. It will help the club determine how much food to purchase, and give us an idea of how to best plan for setup and takedown.

Signup: https://goo.gl/forms/Q2jqlTMCUgfAMpW82

Quannapowitt RA Field Day 2018

QRA“This year, QRA will be holding ARRL Field Day at the Overlook Park in Burlington. This is the site we held Field Day the last two years. All members and friends are invited to stop by and either operate or observe. There will be at least three stations operating with phone, CW and digital modes with a possibility of some satellite and 6 meter. Our plans are to start setting up around 12 noon on Saturday June 23, 2018. There are no plans for operating on Sunday. We’re hoping for warm sunny weather for the event.

“Directions to the site are: Route 128 either North or South to the WINN STREET exit, at the bottom of the exit, turn toward WOBURN CENTER. Take the 3 rd right at the Edward Sullivan Funeral Home on Harriett Ave. Climb the hill and at the end, turn left and enter the Burlington Recreation site. Follow the road to the left up the hill to the field day site. Come with or without equipment. Hoping for more exposure, QRA president Don Melanson, KA1MAP will be submitting an application for ARRL field day 2019 to be held somewhere near Wakefield Center on Lake Quannapowitt.”

Natick High School Balloon Launch Carrying Amateur Radio

WA3ITR APRS track

Charlie Bures, WA3ITR reports he is involved with a Natick High School High Altitude Balloon (HAB) launch carrying an Amateur Radio Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) package. The project is funded by the AeroClub of New England via the David Frawley Foundation.  

“The launch will be soon,” said Charlie. “I’m working with the science teacher at Natick High School. We are currently doing tethered dry-run integration tests in preparation for our actual launch.  We are also monitoring the jet streams so that our balloon platform doesn’t go into the Atlantic but, hopefully, lands around the Natick area, or at least outside Route 128 away from congestion and major highways.” Charlie adds the launch will hopefully occur either “later this week or next.”

The balloon activity can be followed via http://aprs.fi. Charlie will use the call sign WA3ITR-7. 

Updated: June 14, 2018

ARRL Kids Day, June 16, 2018

tin can toy phonesTwice per year in January and June for five hours, ARRL Kids Day promotes Amateur Radio to our youth.  Kids Day is designed to give the on-the-air experience to young people and foster interest in getting a license of their own.  It is also intended to give older hams a chance to share their station and love for Amateur Radio with their children.  Share the excitement with your kids, grand-kids, a scout troop, a church or the general public.  Suggested initial exchange is name, age, location and favorite color.  You can work the same station again if an operator has changed.  To draw attention, call “CQ Kids Day.”  All participants are eligible to receive a colorful certificate and feedback on your experiences are also welcome at the ARRL Kids Day page.

Nashoba Valley ARC Field Day 2018

The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club will conduct its Field Day operations on June 23-24 at the Heald Street Orchard at 110 Heald Street in Pepperell.  Talk-in will be provided on the 147.345(+), 100Hz and  442.900(+), 100Hz N1MNX repeaters. The Eastern MA ARRL Field Day pages contain detailed location information.  For more information, contact Jim Wilber at 617-314-7525 or email fd@n1nc.org

UPDATED June 20, 2018

 

Bruce Blain, K1BG writes:

 

Once again, the Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club will participate in this year’s ARRL Field Day, starting this Saturday, June 23th at 2 PM (setup beginning at 8 AM or shortly thereafter) and finishing on Sunday at 2 PM. We will be using the club callsign, N1NC. Plans are to have two transmitters operating simultaneously on amateur bands between 80 and 10 meters (and a third station on 6 and 2 meters as well). There will be plenty of opportunity for anyone who “walks up” to operate the stations and meet other members of the club. Feel free to help us set up, operate, or just have a look.

 

To get there, cut and paste this link https://binged.it/2ll0WA8 in your browser (clicking on it may have a problem). Feel free to click on “Directions” and put your own starting point in on line “A”. Point “B” on the map is where the gate is. Head south through the open gates onto an unpaved road for about 0.1 mile to the mowed parking area in the meadow.

 

I plan on being there most of the time, and I look forward to meeting YOU. Thanks and 73. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

 

Bruce, K1BG

978-772-2773 or bruce.blain@charter.net

Southeastern MA ARA Field Day 2018

Southeastern MA ARA logoDon Rosinha, WA1BXY writes on the SEMARA mailing list:

Update for Field Day 2018:  We will be doing FD from the club house this year. Going to run 2E station; I will be doing CW and my wife, KC1BXY will be doing SSB. Looking for more ops for SSB and possible another CW op. Also looking for someone to take care of the third station which we hope to run as a GOTA station. So we are looking for unlicensed or newly licensed ops for the GOTA, or any licensed class op who has not operated in a year or more. 

We will have my grill there with burgers and dogs etc.   If you are planning to operate with us or plan to stop by, please send me a email that way I can kinda get a plan food-wise.   

FD runs 2pm Saturday to Sunday 2pm. I plan on being at club near the start not just after as my daughter has a dance recital that day. 

Thanks hope to see some new faces operating from the club.

PART of Westford Field Day 2018

PART of Westford logoPART Field Day Chairman George Allison, K1IG writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:

Field Day is just a little over two weeks away!
   – Dates: Saturday, June 23 – Sunday, June 24.  Antenna setup is Friday, June 22, from noon to sunset.
   – Location: Concord Rod & Gun Club, 24 Strawberry Hill Road, Concord, MA
 
Field Day preparations are just about complete and it looks like this year’s event will be even better than last year’s!  We’ll have six stations up and running: CW, Phone, Digital, VHF, GOTA, and satellite, and of course, our award-winning meals in the clubhouse.  There may even be a few foxes hiding around the Field Day site.
 
Send an email to Bob, W1IS, w1is@arrl.net, if you can be on the antenna setup team on Friday, June 24. You don’t have to be there for the entire time.
 
If anyone has a presentation or training lecture they’d like to present to the club at Field Day, let me know by return email.  We can schedule one or two presentations before Field Day operations begin on Saturday.
 
Full details of Field Day plans, including a schedule of events, station operating instructions, and the all-important safety briefing, will be presented at the PART meeting on Tuesday, June 19, at the Cameron Senior Center in Westford, starting at 7:30 PM.
 

Framingham ARA Field Day 2018

Framingham ARA logoSumner Weisman, W1VIV writes on the FARA mailing list:

The Framingham Amateur Radio Association (FARA) will hold their annual Field Day exercise this coming Saturday, June 23rd.   We have an excellent new location — the McAuliffe Library at 746 Water Street in Framingham, near the lights at Nobscot.  Look for us in the open area directly behind the library. 

Setup starts about 10:30 AM, and official operation will be from 2PM through 6 PM.  

Along with tables of operating radios, we will have a literature table for visitors.

Updated June 17, 2018

13 Colonies Special Event, July 1-7, 2018

13 Colonies Special Event CertificateARRL Affiliated Club Coordinator Andy Stewart, KB1OIQ writes:

The annual 13 Colonies Special Event will take place from Sunday, July 1st, 9:00 AM Eastern (1300 UTC) until Saturday, July 7th, 12:00 Midnight Eastern (July 8th, 0400 UTC).

Participants are encouraged to contact as many of the original 13 Colonies as possible in that timeframe.  There are also two bonus stations: WM3PEN (Philadelphia, PA), and GB13COL (Durham, England).  A nice certificate is available at the end of the event.

Each colony has its own callsign and list of operators.  Massachusetts is K2H.  If you are interested in being a K2H operator, contact Bob (K1KVV) at radioevents [at] semara [dot] org so he can put you on the official operators list.  One must hold a General Class license, or higher, and should plan to operate from their home station.

This is a fun event and I hope a lot of you will participate. For more information:  http://www.13colonies.net.

Eastern MA Stations Active for Museum Ships Weekend, June 2-3, 2018

“Pi” Pugh, K1RV writes:

“As of today there are now 106 ships/museums listed as active participants and the K1USN Radio Club will join them for the Museum Ships Weekend beginning Friday evening, June 2 at 0000 UTC (8:00 PM EDT).  Check out the list here – http://www.nj2bb.org/museum/

 “We want to be on the air as much as possible during the entire 48-hour weekend event. Operators are needed to help keep [K1USN’s] three HF stations on the air. Please let me know if you are available to spend some time during the weekend. Remember that K1USN was the originator of this fantastic operating event that is now sponsored by the crew onboard the Battleship New Jersey. They have done a wonderful job promoting this event and continue to issue special certificates to stations that manage to work 15 participants during the weekend.

“I wish to remind everyone that Museum Ships Weekend is NOT an actual contest. There will be operating time available for operators with all skill levels. Due to the large number of anticipated contacts (1000+ in 2017) we do all logging using N1MM+ logging software. It’s quite simple to use and we will be happy to offer instructions.”

Additionally, look for other local museum ship stations on the bands: