MA Amateur Leaders Meet With MEMA Director

formal presentation of Governor's AR Week ProclamationGovernor’s Amateur Radio Week Proclamation June 4-10 Formally Presented

Framingham –- Massachusetts Amateur Radio Leaders met on June 9, 2006 with the MA Emergency Management Director at the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). MEMA Director Christine McCombs thanked them for the continuing support of Amateur Radio, especially during the latest weather emergency.

“We are very fortunate to have the continuing support of Amateur Radio,” stated Director McCombs in a meeting attended by State RACES Officer Tom Kinahan, N1CPE, Eastern MA ARRL Section Manager Michael P. Neilsen, W1MPN, Section Emergency Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY, and SEOC RACES operators Dennis and Karen Brothers, N1DB and K1KEB, respectively. MEMA Chief of Staff Ken McBride also attended the meeting, further complimenting the leadership on the consistency of their response and support of the agency.

Before presiding over an agenda-packed meeting with the assembled leadership, Director McCombs presented the official Amateur Radio Proclamation. Mike Neilsen asked Rob Macedo to accept the document on behalf of all Massachusetts Amateurs.

“No other ham is more deserving of the honor to represent our efforts,” Neilsen said.

Photo: Rob Macedo, KD1CY is seen holding the proclamation in the group picture.

International Marconi Day

KM1CC QSL card
International Marconi Day
April 22, 2006 UTC

FCC licensed radio operators are invited to operate with KM1CC at the Coast Guard Station, Coast Guard Beach, Eastham to celebrate International Marconi Day. International Marconi Day honors the birthday of the “Wizard of Wireless,” Guglielmo Marconi, on the Saturday closest to his birth date, April 25, 1874. The public is invited to observe operations from10 am- 3 pm; operators are needed from Friday April 21 at 8 pm ET through Saturday April 22 8 pm ET. For more information contact Barbara Dougan, KB1GSO at Barbara_Dougan@nps.gov . For park information, and maps visit: http://www.nps.gov/caco.

CW and voice operations: local 2 Meter repeaters, 17 Meter, 20 Meter, 40 Meters, and 80 Meters.

17M 18.160 SSB 18.080 CW
20M 14.260 SSB 14.035 CW
40M 7.260 SSB 7.035 CW
80M 3.860 SSB 3.535 CW

Marconi’s South Wellfleet Station site is located in Cape Cod National Seashore and is open to the public. The station was built on a coastal bluff in 1901. Due to erosion, little remains of the original site. However, a model and a few remnants of the tower bases can still be seen.

Cape Cod National Seashore has a free Marconi: Beyond the Horizon lesson plan on its website:  http://www.nps.gov:80/archive/caco/education/Marconi.pdf. This lesson plan includes activities that meet Massachusetts’ history, physical science, and technology/engineering learning standards.

For more information about historic Marconi Stations around the world and International Marconi Day visit: http://gx4crc.com/gb4imd/.

"Town Meeting" PR Efforts Gain Ground

Seal of the Commonwealth of MassachusettsA representative from the Governor’s office has reached out to the Amateur Radio community in the wake of last week’s perceived “snubbing” of Amateur Radio emergency communications efforts in comments made by the Governor in a televised “Town Meeting.”

According to Eastern MA Section Emergency Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Pam Hickman from the Governor’s Office of External Relations telephoned Macedo yesterday. “Hickman stated the Governor’s Office would like to the ‘make the situation right,'” explained KD1CY.
Macedo told Hickman that he and the ARRL/ARES leadership are seeking a “short visit” with the Governor so that they might “describe Amateur Radio and its benefits to the community.” KD1CY says he’d like to use the opportunity to push for an Amateur Radio proclamation during the June, 2006 timeframe, which coincides with the ARRL’s annual Field Day operating event.

“I gave a brief description of Amateur Radio and what we do and tried to give her a flavor of our organization,” noted Macedo. “Hickman has requested pamphlets and information be sent to her office. I will begin working on that as one of my highest priorities.”

KD1CY expects to have a package consisting of ARES/ARRL pamphlets, sample articles from the ARES E-newsletters, a writeup on the Whittenton Pond Dam operation, and other relevant materials sent to Hickman no later than Friday.

“Depending on time constraints, I may also provide a brief, high-level PowerPoint presentation, leveraging material used from the MEMT meetings where we’ve discussed ARES and RACES.”

In a related development, District Emergency Coordinator Steve Schwarm, W3EVE contacted his state representative regarding the Governor’s comments in the Town Meeting program. “[Steve’s] representative sent a response, saying he was going to be contacting the Governor’s office,” reports Macedo. “This is the first I’ve heard of a state rep getting involved with making contact as well.”

“Town Meeting” PR Efforts Gain Ground

Seal of the Commonwealth of MassachusettsA representative from the Governor’s office has reached out to the Amateur Radio community in the wake of last week’s perceived “snubbing” of Amateur Radio emergency communications efforts in comments made by the Governor in a televised “Town Meeting.”

According to Eastern MA Section Emergency Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Pam Hickman from the Governor’s Office of External Relations telephoned Macedo yesterday. “Hickman stated the Governor’s Office would like to the ‘make the situation right,'” explained KD1CY.
Macedo told Hickman that he and the ARRL/ARES leadership are seeking a “short visit” with the Governor so that they might “describe Amateur Radio and its benefits to the community.” KD1CY says he’d like to use the opportunity to push for an Amateur Radio proclamation during the June, 2006 timeframe, which coincides with the ARRL’s annual Field Day operating event.

“I gave a brief description of Amateur Radio and what we do and tried to give her a flavor of our organization,” noted Macedo. “Hickman has requested pamphlets and information be sent to her office. I will begin working on that as one of my highest priorities.”

KD1CY expects to have a package consisting of ARES/ARRL pamphlets, sample articles from the ARES E-newsletters, a writeup on the Whittenton Pond Dam operation, and other relevant materials sent to Hickman no later than Friday.

“Depending on time constraints, I may also provide a brief, high-level PowerPoint presentation, leveraging material used from the MEMT meetings where we’ve discussed ARES and RACES.”

In a related development, District Emergency Coordinator Steve Schwarm, W3EVE contacted his state representative regarding the Governor’s comments in the Town Meeting program. “[Steve’s] representative sent a response, saying he was going to be contacting the Governor’s office,” reports Macedo. “This is the first I’ve heard of a state rep getting involved with making contact as well.”

W1P Special Event Operation Commemorates Steamship Portland Sinking

KM1CC QSL cardMembers of the Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club (KM1CC) will operate special event station W1P commemorating the 107th anniversary of the sinking of the Steamship Portland on November 25, 2005 from 1400 until 2200 UTC. Look for W1P on the following frequencies (Mhz): 7.050, 14.050, 7.260, 14.260.

The station will be located in the Province Lands Visitor’s Center, in Provincetown, MA. The operation is sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the National Park Service. Visitors are welcome.

Stations who contact W1P may QSL with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:

Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club KM1CC
Cape Cod National Seashore
99 Marconi Site Road
Wellfleet, MA 02667

While on a regularly scheduled overnight trip from Boston to her namesake city, in Maine, the Portland sank in the waters between Cape Ann and Cape Cod during a fierce November northeaster. Over 190 people lost their lives in the greatest tragedy of the storm, which came to be known as the Portland Gale. Debris from the Portland washed up on Cape Cod beaches, and some items may still be found in local homes and museums. Today, the shipwreck lies within the boundary of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

For further information, contact Henry Brown, K1WCC at 508-540-0753 or email k1wcc@arrl.net.

Kuss Middle School Makes Successful ISS Contact!

Roland Daignault, N1JOY writes on BCRA-club list:

For those of you who did not hear yet, yesterday we had an absolutely perfect radio contact between the [International Space Station] and the Kuss Middle School (Fall River, MA) students. The entire pass was just under 10 minutes long, and the kids were able to ask 22 questions, and we lost signal right at the end of John Phillps’, the astronaut operating NA1SS, 22nd answer.

Ham Radio got plenty of local press too! TV channels 6, 10, & 12 were there, along with Comcast, and FRED TV (Fall River Educational TV), Fall River Heald News, and The Spirit weekly newspaper. The Herald News gave us front page coverage! We also had nice TV spots on channels 6 & 10. (Did anybody see a spot on TV 12 yet?)
We were set up in the Kuss library with about 50 people present, including Mayor Lambert, and Senator Menard who presented a citation to the Kuss students for their work. Frank Bauer, the ARISS coordinator, also flew into town to see our event. We had 12 students lined up with 2 questions each to ask, so almost every kid got 2 chances at the microphone. We also set up an ATV link to the church hall across the street where about 50 more people were watching our live video feed of the event projected onto a large screen.
Kuss Middle School ARISS contact, photo 1
Needless to say, there were plenty of smiling faces at the end of the event. To show how seriously the Kuss faculty took this event, our contact began at 2:24 PM, and school let out at 2:30, about half way through our ISS pass. You would never had known there was anybody else in the school at 2:30! The school bells did not ring, the kids were asked to be quiet, and were only let out of the exits at the opposite end of the school. Security guards kept the front of the school clear of kids, and the Fall River PD had Rock street closed down! It was definitely an effort in noise control that worked perfectly! No outside noise was heard even though we had most of the library windows open to let some cool air inside.

We used the schools equipment, which consisted of a Yaesu FT-847, Mirage 180 Watt brick amplifier, and an M-Squared 22 element 2 Meter cross Yagi. The antenna is turned by a Yeasu AZ/EL rotor, which we controlled with a laptop running Nova for Windows. There was also a backup station on hand, and luckily not needed. This consisted of an Icom IC-2100H 2 Meter mobile, my RF Concepts 170 Watt brick amplifier, and a Diamond X-500HNA vertical antenna. The school antenna is normally run into Joe Cote’s (KB1LJG) classroom on the 5th floor, but are easily extended to the library 2 floors down by attaching my portable satellite antenna umbilical cord as an extension for the coax cables and rotor control cables, which were conveniently wired with the same style connectors just for this reason.
Kuss Middle School ARISS contact, photo 2
I want to thank everybody who helped to make this event possible and gave me unconditional support. Of course W2DAN, who has been there every time for the last 2 years. N1RHS & WA1ESO who were there Thursday night until 9:30 PM helping to set up the equipment. Also KB1CNA and WB1HGA who were there to assist on Friday. Also I cannot forget N1DU who donated some very cool commerative patches that were designed by the school, and he was able to embroider on short notice.

(See also: Fall River ARC, Bristol Co. RA Featured in Herald News Story.)

Photos: Left: Senator Joan Menard and Mayor Ed Lambert present Shantae Martins (KB1LKW) a citation recognizing Kuss’s achievments. Right: Kathryn Cooper from Central Park Middle School in Schenectaty, NY, takes a turn asking her question. Next in line is Evan Darmondy, who was interviewed by TV Channel 6. Sitting are (left) Thalita Xavier (KB1MJP) and (right) Jennifer DeLeon (KB1MNK).

Fall River ARC, Bristol Co. RA Featured in Herald News Story

Kuss Middle School/Fall River ARC newspaper photoMembers of the Fall River Amateur Radio Club and Bristol County Repeater Association received kudos in a feature article published in the Herald News on Sunday. The Fall River paper ran a half-page story accompanied by photos describing the hams’ efforts in working with students at the Kuss Middle School.

The hams have conducted licensing classes for the students at Kuss and set up a ham club station. The school hopes to receive permission for a scheduled contact with the International Space Station and NA1SS–perhaps as early as this summer.

The school is a participant in NASA’s explorer program. Rosemary Millham, NASA’s education liaison to Kuss, is quoted in the article, saying, “The Fall River ARC has provided invaluable service to Kuss. Not only do members come to school every week to work with students and help them prepare for the licensing test, but they also serve on the steering committee for the [explorer] program.”

Club member Roland Daignault, N1JOY, commented in the article, “The momentum is really building now… Now that we have enough kids who are licensed, they bring other kids into it to talk on the radio.”

Sitting at the radio, left to right: Megan DeSouza, KB1LJH; John Nery, WA1ESO; and Shantae Martins, KB1LKW. –Herald News photo

Wired.com Showcases Amateur Radio, MIT Flea

Marty Connor at MIT Flea, K9HI photoWired News on the web features an article on May 25, 2005 by Mark Baard entitled “Hamming It Up at Radio Meets” archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20050531223010/http://www.wired.com:80/news/digiwood/0,1412,67615,00.html showcasing the Harvard Wireless Club and MIT Radio Society, and the “Flea at MIT.” The article features a number of related photos. It also plugs Amateur Radio public service, and the Dayton Hamvention®. Prior to its publication, Baard spent time with the respective clubs and their members in researching the story.

While Baard endeavors to introduce the public to the positive aspects of the hobby, he devotes an inordinate amount of print emphasizing the “nerdiness” factor. For example, the article’s opening sentence reads, “If you think you know what a nerd is, try visiting a swap meet or convention where amateur radio operators like to hang out.” Unfortunately, the word “nerd” keeps popping up.

A Boston-area resident, Baard has covered computers and technology for such publications as Wired News, Information Security magazine, The Boston Globe, The Village Voice, and The Times of London. Baard is an Adjunct Professor of Journalism at Emmanuel College.

[Marty Connor at MIT Flea, K9HI photo]

KM1CC To Participate In International Marconi Day

KM1CC QSL cardThe Marconi Cape Cod Memorial Radio Club, KM1CC, will operate in the International Marconi Day festivities on April 23, 2005 from 0001 until 2359 UTC. (See also “W1AA/MSC QRV For Int’l Marconi Day, April 23, 2005”)

Barbara Dougan, KB1GSO, a National Park Service employee and the club’s QSL Manager, will activate KM1CC. She needs additional operators, according to Robert “Whitey” Doherty, K1VV.

Doherty encourages interested parties to email Barbara at badougan54@aol.com and notify her of times and availability. “There are bunks to sleep over Friday night,” writes Doherty. “Bring your own sleeping bag and chow.”

Dougan has two complete stations set up. She needs both CW and phone operators for the event.

The station is situated at the National Park Service at Cape Cod National Seashore, on the former site of the U.S. Coast Guard station at Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, Massachusetts.

Unschoolers Learn About Amateur Radio

.Attendees at a local area “Unschooling” Conference were introduced to Amateur Radio in a “non-teaching way.” The Third Live and Learn Unschooling Conference held August 27-29 in Peabody, MA featured an Amateur Radio workshop facilitated by attendee James Colburn, W6HJC, of Playa Del Rey, California.

“I came up with the idea of an ‘Amateur Radio Funshop,'” said W6HJC. “I scheduled three hours to show off ham radio in a ‘non-teacher’ kind of way. We are unschoolers.”

Colburn enlisted some local help from Rick Meuse, N1HID. “Rick brought with him his portable satellite antenna. Unfortunately, there were no good passes that day,” remarked Colburn, who added, “next time perhaps we can set up an ISS contact.”

“In a word [the funshop] was great,” concluded W6HJC. “Hopefully it will be much better the next time around.”

Town of Framingham To Proclaim June 20-27 “Amateur Radio Week”

Framingham ARA logoDick Marshall, K1KTK writes on FraminghamARA-L@fara.org:

“The Selectmen of the Town of Framingham will issue a Proclamation proclaiming June 20-27 as Amateur Radio Week in Framingham. They will present this Proclamation to us on Thursday evening, June 17 at 7:00 PM at the Selectmen’s Meeting in Town Hall.

“It would be nice to have a good turnout for this presentation. It should take only 10 or 15 minutes, depending on how talkative they will be.”

N1VUX’s SKYWARN Interview

One of our own, N1VUX interview appears in Metro Sunday Globe today 2/1, and is written up at our section website. If this link has expired, please find under “SKYWARN” in column to the left.

N1VUX [Bill, N1VUX, is Primary NCS for Northeastern SKYWARN operating primarily on the Waltham repeater. He is also a regular contributor of information on VHF/UHF ducting, using his predictive model. He will also occasionally comment on other unusual atmospheric phenomena affecting communications – W1MPN]

N1VUX Photo courtesy K9HI

N1IV Nominated for Phil McGan PR Award

Jim Duarte, N1IVJim Duarte, N1IV, has been nominated for the ARRL’s prestigious Philip J. McGan Memorial Silver Antenna Award. The McGan award is given annually to the individual who demonstrates volunteer public relations success on behalf of Amateur Radio at the local, state or national level, and will live up to the high standard of achievement exemplified by the late Philip J. McGan.

[I am pleased that the Sturdy Memorial Hospital ARC has nominated Jim Duarte, N1IV for this prestigious award. Jim has been a superb and consistent performer in the area of public relations on behalf of SMH ARC. He currently serves as Eastern Massachusetts Public Information Coordinator. Jim was instrumental in our securing this year’s Massachusetts Amateur Radio Day proclamation.

As a friend and former co-worker of Phil McGan, I can think of no better candidate deserving of this honor than N1IV. -K9HI]

U.S.S. Salem RC On For FISTS “Coast-to-Coast” Operating Event

straight keyPi, K1RV wrote:

Hello to all other FISTS Club stations!

As stated before, the USS Salem Radio Club – K1USN (FISTS # 9239) plans to be active all day on Sunday September 14th from onboard the USS Salem. We are planning to operate several stations and will be using a variety of straight keys, paddles and bugs during the day. We intend to also fire up some of the USS Salem vintage radio gear on 7058 (±)! We hope to have lots of members participate onboard.We are hoping to have some good participation from other Clubs as well. We are fortunate to have K1VV – Whitey as one of our USS Salem members. He has recently been putting together some fantastic video CD and DVD presentations. He has done them for the Marconi 100th Anniversary event ( KM1CC ), New England Steam and Wireless Museum ( Rhode Island ), W1NZR Field Day ( Ft. Burnside, RI ) and has just completed a presentation about the recent International Lighthouse Weekend activities at N1P ( Ned’s Point ) and N1L ( Boston ) Lighthouses.

These are SUPER for promoting Ham Radio to the general public as well as for presentations at Club meetings. He is now working on a video presentation focusing on FISTS and the C2C weekend! He will be onboard the USS Salem taking photos and conducting interviews. He has requested that all of the participating FISTS Club stations send him two photos ( only two because his dial-up server will be swamped! ) accompanied by the names/callsigns of those in the photos. You could also send a brief summary of comments and highlights from your operation. Whitey’s e-mail address is k1vv@tmlp.com

If you have anything additional to send such as more photos, etc. please send them via snail mail to his Callbook address.

The final product video CD should be something that will be a useful and valuable resource for FISTS. I’ve already spoken with Nancy-WZ8C and she will get the first copy. We discussed having her get someone from FISTS to work with her to make additional copies to distribute to FISTS Clubs and individual members. This FISTS Promotional video can be distributed freely and copied by FISTS members making sure to give artistic credit to K1VV!

In light of the recent WARC regulation changes regarding elimination of the Morse requirement; we FISTS members need to do our part to find a new way to attract people to WANT to use CW and carry on the legacy.

73, Pi – K1RV FISTS # 7012

k1rv@hamtestonline.com

http://www.hamtestonline.com

Field Day 2003 Tour Results

The EMA FD Homepage now has the staff/leadership tour list and map. Our Tourists were, in rough rank of mileage,


  • Mike Raisbeck K1TWF NEDiv-Vice
  • Mike Neilsen W1MPN SEC & Acting DEC Essex
  • Phil Temples K9HI EMA Section Manager
  • Steve Schwarm W3EVE DEC-Norfolk & No.Bristol
  • Mark Duff KB1EKN DEC-Metro
  • Steve Telsey N1BDA DEC-Middlesex
  • Frank O\’Laughlin WQ1O DEC-Cape/Isles

Phil K9HI and Mike W1MPN carried the two copies of the Proclamation with them. Expect picture links to appear on EMA ARRL, ARES, and FD pages soon.

Our ARRL Staff resident at a FD site included (with some overlap(*))


  • Mike Ardai N1IST (BM)
  • Greg Richardson N1QLS (TC)
  • Jim Duarte N1IV (PIC)
  • Stane Laine WA1ECF (ASM)
  • Mike Goldberg K1LJN (OOC)
  • Frank Murphy N1DHW (ACC) *
  • Bob Salow WA1IDA (ASM)
  • Mark Duff KB1EKN DEC-Metro *
  • Frank O\’Laughlin WQ1O DEC-Cape/Isles *
  • Steve Telsey N1BDA DEC-Middlesex *
  • Rob Macedo KD1CY DEC-South Coast; SKYWARN Coordiantor

See the tour list and map for more details.

“Hams take to airwaves for competition”

FARA/WC1MA operationFRAMINGHAM —”Imagine that six meters is open and you have 100 watts and a beam at 125 feet to play with!”

“If that hypothetical from the Framingham Amateur Radio Association newsletter fails to excite you, or even make sense to you, you are not alone. FARA treasurer Peter Simpson, of Holliston, jokes that ham radio has always been something of a geek hobby, practiced by an enthusiastic few using a language of their own.” [Full story] Metro West Daily News

Amateur Radio Day Proclamation

FCC sealI am pleased to announce that Governor Mitt Romney has declared June 28, 2003 “Amateur Radio Day” in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Governor Romney granted the proclamation today, in recognition of the more than 13,000 Massachusetts “Communications Volunteers” that give of their time and expertise in disaster situations and during public service events, statewide. Phil Temples – K9HI, asked that we request this proclamation of the Governor to coincide with Field Day 2003, our annual emergency preparedness exercise. [Please see picture of EMa leadership and State RACES Radio Officer accepting proclamation at the EMa Section Website.

I’d like to thank Phil for his encouragement and advice, Mike Neilsen – W1MPN for his input and data, Shawn O’Donnell – K3HI for his experience with Government Relations and Tom Kinahan – N1CPE forproviding a means to get the information into the Governor’s Office. We’d also like to sincerely thank Peter Judge, M.E.M.A. Public Information Officer, for delivering the request and press releases to the State House and Senator Cheryl Jacques for helping to push this proclamation through the proper channels. Congratulations to all those Massachusetts “Hams” that have worked very hard to give us the reputation that made this proclamation a reality. Enjoy your Field Day with a deserved sense of accomplishment!

Thanks and 73,

Jim Duarte – N1IV
ARRL Public Information Coordinator
Eastern Mass Section

Amateur Radio Day!

Mass. Amateur Radio Day Proclamation team
Clockwise, L-R: N1IV, K3HI, N1CPE, W1MPN, K9HI

June 11, 2003 – Boston, MA – Governor Mitt Romney issued a proclamation declaring June 28, 2003, “Amateur Radio Day” this morning. The Governor made this proclamation in recognition of the more than 13,000 amateur radio operators in the Commonwealth. These volunteers play a valuable role in Emergency Communications, National Weather Service “Severe Weather” spotting and Public Service in the Commonwealth. They are involved with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, several Massachusetts branches of the American Red Cross and other important served agencies.

Phil Temples – K9HI, ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section Manager, charged his newly appointed Public Information Coordinator with the task of requesting this of the Governor. Jim Duarte – N1IV, in conjunction with Shawn O’Donnell – K3HI, the ARRL State Government Liaison and Tom Kinahan – N1CPE, Massachusetts State RACES Radio Officer, petitioned the Governor with a letter and several press releases. The press releases outlined amateur radio involvement in many recent disaster situations, severe weather incidents and public service events including the Boston Marathon. Tom, with the help of Peter Judge, MEMA Public Information Officer, delivered the package of information to the Governor’s Office. Mike Neilsen – W1MPN and Rob Macedo – KD1CY wrote press releases regarding specific recent involvement within our state.

Congratulations to all those Massachusetts “Hams” that have worked very hard to give us the reputation that made this proclamation a reality. Enjoy your Field Day with a deserved sense of accomplishment! We’d like to invite all the clubs in Massachusetts to celebrate this Proclamation and get the word out to the public about Amateur Radio. All our affiliated clubs are welcome to use the information in their Field Day press releases and any other PR efforts.

Mass. Amateur Radio Day Proclamation document

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Governor Romney and his staff for generating this proclamation and Senator Cheryl Jacques for assisting with getting the paperwork pushed through. We know that there are more than 13,000 amateur radio volunteers in this state and we’re certain they appreciate the recognition you’ve shown them. We would also like to thank Tom Kinahan and Peter Judge for their spirit of cooperation in assisting the ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section staff with this very worthwhile project.