Public Information

Larry Krainson, W1AST, writes:

We need at least one extra person for the first session from 9:30 to 4:00 pm and the second session from 3:30 pm to 10:00 pm.

Can you please help? Saturdays are very busy days and at least three people are needed in the booth.

You will be reimbursed for admission and parking after the Big E has ended.

Contact Larry Krainson, W1AST, at <wb1dby@gmail.com>.

Bob Hall, W1RRH, writes on the Nantucket ARA mailing list:

This is the first time NARA has been mentioned in DayBreak Nantucket.  It is a nice article:

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Celebrating Lighthouses

In case you missed it, last month the Nantucket Amateur Radio Associationcelebrated International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend for 2023 at Nantucket’s Sankaty Lighthouse. The event is part of the US National Lighthouse Week from the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society. In 1989, the United States Congress declared August 7 as National Lighthouse Day, so during August amateur radio operators in America set up portable stations at lighthouses and try to contact each other. 

On Saturday, August 19, the Nantucket Amateur Radio Association set up two radio stations on the ‘Sconset bluff with short wave antennas draped from the lighthouse, 65’ in the air, with the goal of making radio contact with other lighthouses and ham radio stations around the world. The group wanted to acknowledge lighthouse and lightship history and encourage their preservation. NARA is the local affiliate of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), a national organization established to promote and advance the art, science, and enjoyment of amateur radio. The Nantucket group began casually to bring together amateur radio operators, or “hams,” of varied interests including occasional operators, tinkerers and experimenters, members of the Nantucket Amateur Radio Emergency Service (NARES), and non-resident hams visiting the island.

[For more information about Project BIG E, visit the Project BIG E page at https://nediv.arrl.org/project-big-e/.]

Larry Krainson, W1AST, writes:

We still need 43 people to fill time slots for the Big E booth.

If you haven’t signed up yet, please do so ASAP. We need your help to make this a success this year.

Here are the dates, # of people needed and a “Y” for the session time frame.

Here is the sign up link:  bit.ly/45Cv6mn

Or contact me direct at W1AST@arrl.net

We need more people to sign up to make this a success!
—

Larry Krainson – W1AST

• Project Big E Organizer
• ARRL WMA ACC
• HCRA President – HCRA.org 
• 13 Colonies MA State Manager (K2H) – Ask to be an op!
• Proud Member of: ARRL, FCARC, BARS & YCCC
• w1ast@arrl.net

The Big E is a 17-day New England fair that takes place from September 15th to October 1st this year. The start is just 4 weeks away!

It attracts attendees from all over New England, northern NJ and eastern NY. The fair takes place in West Springfield, MA.

Last year the Big E had over 1.6 million attendees from all over the northeast!

In 2022, we ran a ham radio booth at the Big E and we are doing one again this year. Twelve clubs and over 100 individuals volunteered last year. We need your help again this year!

We have been provided with a free booth that normally costs $6,000. It’s located in the Better Living Center. It attracts the most visitors and it’s the largest building on the fairgrounds.

The Ham Radio Booth aims to introduce ham radio to the public and demonstrate that the hobby is still relevant in today’s world. By getting a taste of amateur radio, we hope that some members of the general public will sign up for classes and earn their license. Afterward, we hope they will join a local club where they live. This will benefit all ham radio clubs in New England!

We learned a lot from last year, and are changing the way we do things for 2023. For example, we will staff just 3 people in the booth for each six-hour session versus 4 to 6 people last year.

We encourage clubs to reserve a 6-hour session or a full 12-hour day. The booth must be staffed from 10 am through 10 pm. We ask that volunteers for the first session of each day staff the booth from 9:30 am through 4 pm; for the second session, 3:30 pm through 10 pm to provide some overlap.

Clubs may bring banner, handouts, class information and demonstrations to show and use during their time in the booth.

We are also looking for individuals to volunteer. You do not have to be part of a club.

There is an admission fee ($15) and a parking fee ($10 per car) to the fair. We have been awarded an ARDC grant and will be reimbursing those fees to everyone who participated after the fair has ended. The reimbursements will be mailed to your qrz.com address.

We need your support to make this a success!

Please go to this link to sign up:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvo1vUzuuJTHbTtDLeApQQD1m4ZzX9kVe_hF2416e6apho3g/viewform

If you would like further information, please visit: https://nediv.arrl.org/project-big-e.

For more information, feel free to contact Larry Krainson, W1AST at: W1AST@arr.net.

Larry Krainson, W1AST, writes:

The Big E Project for 2023 has received a grant!

You can now volunteer to help staff the booth and be reimbursed for both admission and parking!

There are two 6-hour shifts per day.
10 am to 4 pm
4 pm to 10 pm

We ask all volunteers to be on their shift for 30 minutes prior to what you’re volunteered for.

Please sign up here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5gYXzEtVilTSkp4RnXuwA1e7h0SNpFfMp2MJAl9pHrFaD4A/viewform

We are trying this again and hoping to inform the public about ham radio and get more people interested enough to sign up for classes.

New hams can benefit ALL our clubs and ham radio in New England! Will you be a part of making this happen?

Please sign up at the above link!

Thank you for your support!

73 and enjoy the holiday weekend.

Larry, W1AST
ARRL WMA Affiliated Club Coordinator
HCRA President
Visit my Ham Radio club website at: www.HCRA.org
Team K2H – 13 Colonies Massachusetts State Manager
Project Big E 2022 & 2023 Organizer
Proud Member of ARRL, FCARC & YCCC
413-348-3289
W1AST@arrl.net

Members of the Blackstone Valley ARC in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, participated in a “business expo” at the Bellingham, MA library on April 29, 2023.

From New England Sci-Tech ARS News, March 14, 2023:

New England Sci-Tech/Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society (STARS) [in Natick, MA] has been invited to run a STEM activity table at [Minor League Worcester Red Sox (“WooSox”) games in Worcester, MA] both pre-game and during the game on July 26, Aug 9, and Aug 16. This is a great opportunity to showcase radio as a STEM activity. Bob, K5TEC, can help organize but cannot attend. Looking for two volunteers per game. Your travel, parking, and snacks allowance will be reimbursed.

Here are the details given to us:

“As far as placement in the ballpark, we have a decent amount of flexibility based on the types of activities and requirements you have. 

“We could place activities in more heavily trafficked areas of the concourse with people constantly coming through and stopping by for a few minutes; or we could place activities on Plymouth and Summit St., which fall within the ballpark on game days but provide more space and calm from the hustle and bustle of the concourse for a more in-depth showcase. And we would be able to provide tables and electricity if needed. 

“I think ideally we would love to provide both pregame and in-game activities if possible. I could easily imagine us planning a pregame showcase for a larger group of kids, and then perhaps some smaller tabling activations in a couple of places throughout the ballpark.

“All of this is to say that we are very flexible, and open to the ideas and expertise that you could provide!”

Larry 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/>.