AF1T: “How and Why Antennas Work” at Nashoba Valley ARC Meeting, March 20, 2025

Nashoba Valley ARC logoThe Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club‘s March meeting is Thursday, March 20th at 7:30 PM at the Pepperell Community Center (in Pepperell). We start gathering at 7 PM to socialize before the meeting starts. NVARC has a special treat in store for you at the March meeting.  Dale Clement, AF1T, will be talking about antennas.  NVARC has had Dale speak before, but we have enough new members and new hams that we just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have him speak again.  Dale demonstrates practically and visually how and why antennas work.  Trust me: He’s entertaining, and you will learn a lot.  Do not miss this meeting!

The Board of Directors would also like to discuss possible plans for the N1MNX repeater system with membership, April elections of officers, Field Day in June, etc.  So please plan on attending the meeting.

If you need directions to the club meeting, please click <http://binged.it/smoogg> here and put your own address in box “A”.

Thanks, and 73. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Bruce, K1BG
978-772-2773 or  <mailto:bruce.blain@charter.netbruce.blain@charter.net

WJ1B: “How to Become a POTA Hunter” at Sci-Tech ARS Hybrid Meeting, March 18, 2025

New England Sci Tech logoMarch 18, 2025: “How to Become a POTA Hunter” by Harold Kramer, WJ1B.

Description: Parks on the Air, POTA, is one of the fastest growing and most popular programs in Amateur Radio today. This presentation will provide an overview of the Parks on the Air program and will emphasize the tools, techniques, and practices for becoming an effective POTA Hunter. Hunters are stations that are not operating in a park, but rather, usually at their home stations. Hunters are essential to the POTA program because without Hunters, the Activators, stations located in a park, would have no one to work!  

Bio: Harold retired eight years ago as the Chief Operating Officer of the ARRL and Publisher of QST. He still writes Product Reviews and Classic Radio columns. He is currently a volunteer at the ARRL Lab and a member of the ARRL Board’s Historical Committee. He is an avid POTA Hunter with over 2,600 confirmed parks.  Harold was first licensed as KN1ZCK at age 14. He spent his entire career in the cable television and broadcast industries. Before joining the ARRL, Harold was the Chief Technology Officer of Connecticut Public Broadcasting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The University of Connecticut.  Here is a link to Harold’s website:  http://www.wj1b.com

AC1KY: “Aircraft Tracking with SDR” at Wellesley ARS Meeting, March 18, 2025

Peter Morrison, AC1KY, will be speaking on “Aircraft Tracking with SDR” at the Wellesley ARS Meeting on March 18, 2025 at 7:30 PM at the Wellesley Police Station at 485 Washington St. (Route 16), Wellesley, MA. (Please park on the street, not in the police station parking lot.)

Aircraft Tracking using SDR will describe the ADS-B aircraft beaconing system, its development, and the use of low-cost RTL-SDR receivers to display aircraft data. Today, all aircraft worldwide are required to transmit ADSB signals.

The ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast) is like radar in the sense that it also provides surveillance information to a controller. However, the way it works is a bit different, which will be explained later. An ADS-B system can
be further explained as below:

A (Automatic): The system requires no action from either the transmitter (aircraft/pilot) or the receiver (air traffic
controller)
D (Dependent): It is dependent on aircraft systems to provide the data
S (Surveillance): The information from the system is used to identify an aircraft
B (Broadcast): The data from the system is continuously transmitted by the transmitter or the aircraft to any station with
proper equipment to receive it.

From https://simpleflying.com/ads-b-complete-guide/

N6BT: “Will It Work” at PART of Westford Hybrid Meeting, March 18, 2025

PART of Westford logoThe March PART meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, beginning at 7:30 PM at the Cameron Senior Center, 20 Pleasant Street, Westford, MA, and via Webex video conference.  For those attending via video conference, a meeting link is below; just click on the green button to join in.  You can join the conference any time after 7:00 PM to check out your gear or just rag chew until the meeting starts. Bear in mind that internet connectivity from the senior center may be unreliable.
 
Our guest speaker for the meeting is Tom Schiller, N6BT, who will be connecting via video conference from Arizona. Tom is the founder of Force-12 Antennas (now part of JK Antennas), and his topic is “Will it work?”, which describes looking at antenna design and components to see if the antenna will be efficient and, therefore, effective for us. There is a look at the construction and components of the fairly new Big Kansas Coil, plus other YouTube tests and two tests using our drones on a Buddi-Pole. There are also some suggestions along the way on magnetic loops.
 
All attendees are encouraged to bring donations of non-perishable food for the Westford Food Pantry.
 
See you Tuesday!
 
73,
George, K1IG

President, PART of Westford

[Contact George Allison, K1IG, at georallison -at- gmail -dot- com for Webex link]

W1DYJ: “FT8—An Update” at Minuteman Repeater Association Hybrid Meeting, March 19, 2025

MMRA logoMMRA Membership Meeting: Wednesday, 19 March 2025 ~7:30 – 9:30 pm

“FT8—An Update,” Larry Banks, W1DYJ

This is a Hybrid meeting: New England Sci-Tech + ZOOM

Location: New England Sci-Tech, 16 Tech Circle, Natick, MA

Members: log into your account on MMRA.ORG to obtain the Zoom information. Non-members: email: contact@mmra.org to request the information.

Bio: Larry first gave this talk in 2019. Since then a lot has changed and FT8 is now very popular. This talk will review the 2019 talk which discusses how to use WSJT-X and FT8, and will add some insights that Larry has discovered with the nearly 6000 contacts he has logged on FT8. Licensed in 1961 as novice KN1VFX, Larry became W1DYJ in 1966. After acquiring three degrees in EE from MIT, Larry was hired in 1969 by Hewlett-Packard Medical’s Cardiac lab in Waltham, MA, working on Electrocardiographs and then Cardiac Ultrasound systems. He moved to HP Medical Education in 1993, responsible for technical and project management training. When HP split apart, he became Agilent Technology’s global program manager for their Learning Management System. “Retiring” in 2005, he consulted for Avago (now Broadcom) on eLearning technologies through 2012. He now spends his time chasing DX and contesting in Woburn, traveling with his wife Maren, and attending many jazz and classical concerts. He is the net manager and newsletter editor for the MMRA, publications editor for HamXposition, and a member of the YCCC.

WA1PBU: “The Highs and Lows of Aeronautical Mobile Operation” at Sci-Tech ARS Hybrid Meeting, March 11, 2025

New England Sci Tech logoTuesday, March 11: “The Highs and Lows of Aeronautical Mobile Operation” by Kim O. Peck, WA1PBU

Description: This presentation will cover details of aeronautical mobile operation from light aircraft. The material covered will be useful to pilots who wish to explore aero mobile, as well as to non-pilot-hams who may be offered a plane ride and who would appreciate tips, experience, and advice.

Bio: Kim Peck is an electrical engineer, was first licensed as a ham in 1971, and obtained his pilot’s license in 1975.

New Hams Report for Feb 1, 2025

Here is the new ham report as of Feb 1, listing newly licensed hams. Club officials, please review the list and reach out to those in your footprint and invite, welcome them. To all: please welcome these folks when you hear them on local repeaters. Offer assistance as well!

Report for 2025-02-01

Waiming Wong, KC1WCV – FCC
133 Foster St
Littleton, MA 01460-1541

James N Gonthier, KC1WAY – FCC
8 Currier Dr
Framingham, MA 01701-3623

David Kula, KC1VZH – FCC
29 Belcher Dr
Sudbury, MA 01776-1244

Nicholas Cioffi, KC1WCS – FCC
10 Fieldstone Dr
Burlington, MA 01803-4213

Alistair J McBrien, KC1WCR – FCC
11 Brady Loop
Andover, MA 01810-3223

Nelson Rodriguez, KC1VZA – FCC
39 High St
Andover, MA 01810-3527

Cameron G Cooke, KC1VZF – FCC
46 Groveland St
Haverhill, MA 01830-6417

Jason Lay, KC1VZG – FCC
3 Strawberry Ln
Methuen, MA 01844-1562

Sarah Wagner, KC1WDC – FCC
19 Ripley St
N Chelmsford, MA 01863-1723

Jeffrey Hodgson, KC1VZN – FCC
40 Birchmont St
Tyngsboro, MA 01879-1308

Louis C Potvin, KC1WAD – FCC
101 Shawsheen Ave
Wilmington, MA 01887-2699

Sandra Surette, KC1WBW – FCC
60 Dudley St
Saugus, MA 01906-1827

Raymond C Macdougall, KC1WBP – FCC
21 Lothrop St
Saugus, MA 01906-2211

Derrick Feole, KC1WBC – FCC
56 North End Blvd
Salisbury, MA 01952-2204

Thomas Lopolito, KC1VZD – FCC
18 Fletcher St
Foxborough, MA 02035-2766

Stephen F Pineault, KC1WCE – FCC
PO Box 485
Marshfield, MA 02050-0485

Preet H Shah, KC1WCK – FCC
3 Cypress St
Medfield, MA 02052-1904

Alexi A Ambarchian, KC1WCF – FCC
361 Washington St Apt 2R
Cambridge, MA 02139-2741

Frederick S Morlock, KC1WCG – FCC
58A Willow Ave
Somerville, MA 02144-2916

Yifei Sun, KC1VZR – FCC
39 Beltran St
Malden, MA 02148-2501

Strephon B Treadway, KC1VZW – FCC
2 Laurel St
Chelsea, MA 02150-1006

Sean Klingensmith, AC1TN – FCC
68 Fells Ave
Medford, MA 02155-1953

Cyprien Laplace, KC1WCC – FCC
505 Congress St Unit 901
Boston, MA 02210-2907

Joseph M Clark, KC1WBU – FCC
150 Carver Rd
Plymouth, MA 02360-5211

John B Dunne, KC1WCW – FCC
101 Eliot Ave
West Newton, MA 02465-1710

Jacob C Moon, KC1VZM – FCC
69 Garfield St
Watertown, MA 02472-4913

Christopher T Pacejo, KC1WCB – FCC
255 Lake St
Arlington, MA 02474-8228

John F Barry, AC1TL – FCC
104 Spy Pond Pkwy
Arlington, MA 02474-8260

Scott N McClure, KC1WBB – FCC
349 Gray St
Arlington, MA 02476-6039

Michael J Gareau, KC1WDA – FCC
PO Box 81445
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481-0005

John E Robinson, KC1VZJ – FCC
63 Dawson Dr
Needham, MA 02492-4265

Chester Fojas, KC1WAF – FCC
PO Box 606
Provincetown, MA 02657-0606

Kenneth A Okin, KC1WAG – FCC
PO Box 606
Provincetown, MA 02657-0606

Bethany M Whitten, KC1WAS – FCC
90 Nottingham Dr
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675-1532

Patrick G Engelman, KC1WBA – FCC
877 Horseneck Rd
Westport, MA 02790-1354

W1VE: “Remote Amateur Radio Station Setup and Operation” at Nashoba Valley ARC Meeting, February 20, 2025

Nashoba Valley ARC logoThe Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s February meeting is Thursday, February 20th at 7:30 PM at the Pepperell Community Center (in Pepperell). We start gathering at 7 PM to socialize before the meeting starts. NVARC has an awesome speaker for February. Gerry Hull, W1VE, is an expert on remote amateur radio station setup and operation. Gerry has personally set up stations such as ZF9CW, 7Q6M, VY1AAA, VE4YH, VE9XX, and others for remote operation, and he has remotely operated these stations. Attend and discover how easy it is to either operate someone else’s station remotely or set up your station for remote operation.

If you need directions to the club meeting, please click <http://binged.it/smoogg> here and put your own address in box “A”.

Thanks, and 73. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

 
Bruce, K1BG
978-772-2773 or  <mailto:bruce.blain@charter.netbruce.blain@charter.net

BTW, if you would prefer to not get these announcements, please let me know
and I will take you off the list!

 
 

Boston ARC Winter Field Day, January 25-26, 2025

Ponkapoag AMC Cabin
Ponkapoag AMC cabin

From K1USN Happenings, 1/23/25:

Winter Field Day is an exciting annual event for amateur radio enthusiasts, taking place on the last full weekend of January. It offers a unique opportunity for radio operators to set up field operations in remote locations, enabling them to connect with other participants worldwide. You may choose to participate solo or get your your friends, family, or whole club involved. Winter Field Day is organized by the Winter Field Day Association. The association strongly believes that ham radio operators should practice portable emergency communications in winter environments. This is because freezing temperatures, snow, ice, and other hazards pose unique operational concerns.

Several local groups are planning Winter Field Day activation and encourage you to visit, participate and enjoy some brisk Ham Radio fun.

Scott – K1SU has extended an invitation to all K1USN members to join the winter FD crew @ Ponkapoag AMC – https://ponkapoagcamp.org/

Boston ARC Winter Field Day Crew
Boston ARC Winter Field Day Crew

The Boston Amateur Radio Club is delighted to announce that we will be resuming our operations at AMC Ponkapoag this year. If your schedule permits and you find yourself in the vicinity, we cordially invite you to visit us at the distinguished Marion cabin. Contact Scott – K1SU for details – shellback1998@gmail.com

“Coast Guard Auxiliary Communications” at Sci-Tech ARS Hybrid Meeting, January 7, 2025

New England Sci Tech logoTuesday, January 7: “Coast Guard Auxiliary Communications” by Harlan Doliner, NE1HD.

Description: This presentation will focus on how the Coast Guard Auxiliary utilizes VHF, HF and other frequencies in working independently and with both Active Duty Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reservists. This work involves standing radio watches, participating in search & rescue, performing comms in other surface, air and ground missions, supporting safety education for the recreational boating public, as well as other areas. The presentation is aimed at ham radio operators and includes some information on non-secure USCG frequencies which hams can monitor.

Bio: Harlan was first licensed as a ham in 2014, upgrading to Extra in 2016. He focuses mostly on HF DX and local VHF nets. Harlan has been in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary since 2001 and his current duties include pre-arrival screening of foreign flag vessels for Sector’s Port State Control. Harlan is qualified as an Auxiliary Telecommunications Operator and in 2004 was a member of one of the Auxiliary teams representing the United States in the International Search and Rescue Competition, where he was the team member in primary charge of comms. He lives with his wife in Holliston.

AED Refresher at Southeastern ME ARA

Southeastern MA ARA logoRichard A. Netinho, AC1JG writes on the SEMARA mailing list:

On Sunday 01/19/25 at 11:30AM [SEMARA] will be hosting  an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) refresher course at the club. Everyone is welcome to attend. The class will be conducted right after Sunday coffee.

Try to let us know if you plan to attend. Prior registration is not required. We would just like an idea of how many people will be attending.

Thank you,

Richard A. Netinho

“Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s antenna laboratory, Software Radio Design course, and STEM in general at WPI” at Sci-Tech ARS, December 17, 2024

New England Sci Tech logoTue, December 17, 2024 at 7 PM: “Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s antenna laboratory, Software Radio Design course, and STEM in general at WPI” by Alexander M. Wyglinski, WPI Professor & Associate Dean of Graduate Studies. 

Bio: Dr. Wyglinski is an internationally recognized expert in wireless communications, cognitive radio, spectrum coexistence, 5G/6G, connected vehicles, software-defined radio, dynamic spectrum access, satellite communications, and vehicular technology. Dr. Wyglinski is a Full Professor of Electrical Engineering and Robotics Engineering as well as the Director of the Wireless Innovation Laboratory (WILab) at WPI. Throughout his academic career, Dr. Wyglinski has published nearly 50 journal papers, over 120 conference papers, nine book chapters, and three textbooks. Dr. Wyglinski is a Senior Member of the IEEE, as well as a member of Sigma Xi, Eta Kappa Nu, and the ASEE.

Nashoba Valley ARC: W1 QSL Bureau Sort, Pepperell, November 21, 2024

Nashoba Valley ARC logoBruce Blain, K1BG, writes:

The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club‘s November meeting is Thursday, November 21st at 7:30 PM at the Pepperell Community Center (in Pepperell). We start gathering at 7 PM to socialize before the meeting starts. The November meeting is traditionally our W1 QSL Bureau night where the club sorts several thousand QSL cards for the bureau.  Eric Williams, KV1J, the bureau manager, will give a short presentation on how the bureau works. Pizza and soft drinks follow the card sort.  It is, by far, my favorite club meeting of the year.  It’s a social experience you won’t want to miss, and it’s a lot of fun.  I personally can’t wait to hear this presentation!

As always, feel free to bring a friend

Come and join the fun!

If you need directions to the club meeting, please click <http://binged.it/smoogg> here and put your own address in box “A”.

Thanks and 73. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Bruce, K1BG
978-772-2773 or  <mailto:bruce.blain@charter.netbruce.blain@charter.net

Wellesley Amateur Radio Society POTA Event, November 2, 2024

Parks On The Air logoDATE : Saturday, Nov 2, 2024 (rain date – Sun 11/3)
 
TIME : 11am – 3pm
 
PLACE : Elm Bank Reservation – Lot B
                900 Washington St.
                Wellesley, MA
 
Talk-in Frequency : 146.55 MHz
 
 
Join the fun of operating outdoors in the crisp fall air ! We are meeting in Lot B which is opposite Lot A at the top of the first hill where the road bends. Turn right into Lot B.
 
We’ll be using the club radio, antennas, and coax, but feel free to bring your own gear to operate. Leandra has graciously offered to setup our club station callsign (W1TKZ) for POTA operation.
 
The October SparkGap has a GREAT checklist on Page 11 of some things you may wish to bring.
 
SEE YOU THERE FOR POTA FOTA – Fun-On-The-Air !

N1DQ: “PSK Reporter” at Nashoba Valley ARC Meeting, October 17, 2024

Nashoba Valley ARC logoBruce Blain, K1BG, writes:

The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s October meeting is TOMORROW, Thursday, October 17th at 7:30 PM at the Pepperell Community Center (in Pepperell). We start gathering at 7 PM to socialize before the meeting starts.

For October, our guest speaker will be Phil Gladstone, N1DQ, author of PSK Reporter. PSK Reporter is an amateur radio signal reporting and spotting network which allows hams to see where their radio signals are being received. The platform works by collecting digital signal reports from software clients like WSJT and FLDIGI, then mapping them to show which stations are being heard by other clients.

I personally can’t wait to hear this presentation!

Come and join the fun!

Need directions? Click here and put your own address in box “A”.

Thanks and 73. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Bruce, K1BG

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

 

K3DRE: “Lessons Learned as a Ham for Broadcast RF and vice versa” at Sci-Tech ARS, Natick, October 8, 2024

New England Sci Tech logoThe Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society will meet on-line and in-person on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 7 PM and feature: “Lessons Learned as a Ham for Broadcast RF and vice versa” by Doug Evans, K3DRE.  

Description: From broadcast radio into ham radio and back. Doug will share with us lessons learned in professional radio and how they led him into ham radio. From there, he’ll move to the things he learned as a ham that helped his career. Doug’s been to a lot of places and has seen some very interesting things, but found that the basics of RF always apply. Today’s modern digital broadcasting owes a lot to early hams.

Bio: Doug received his first FCC license (a third class radiotelephone operator, with broadcast endorsement) after he graduated from high school. The day after he graduated, he started working with his first rig, a 3000 watt FM transmitter, at the now defunct WMSP FM. After several years in commercial radio, Doug went to work for Public Broadcasting in Hershey, PA. After 23 years there, Doug left as a Producer/Director, having done a number of other roles as well. He then took a job doing HD wireless cameras and support communication and control for broadcast networks, and remained in that role for a number of years. Since Doug retired, he volunteers at ultra marathon special events and is a ham radio operator for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. 

PART Group-Club POTA US-2435, Carlisle, October 14, 2024

PART of Westford logoAdam Smith, AA1N, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:Hi PART’ers – 
 

I took some time to read through the POTA web site again.  Under the rules we can either do multiple individual activations, or a club/group activation. 

As a group, all activity from a single callsign from the same park in the same (UTC) day would count toward the activation (but it’s possible to log the operator for each QSO under a shared call – and ops get some credit).   If we wanted to do this (for this or future ops) then we’d want to register a group call with POTA – not sure if WB1GOF is registered, or if there’s a protocol for approving use of the club call for events?

 
If acting as individuals:
* each individual calling CQ POTA will need to have a POTA.app account, and to submit their own log of contacts after the event.
* each individual in this case could have a successful activation (10 contacts), or not
* we can share radios and “pass the mic”, or run separate radios (technical & interference concerns notwithstanding)
 
References:
General POTA Rules: 

   https://docs.pota.app/docs/rules.html

   See in particular rules #4 and #5 under Logging Requirements, and the “Clubs and Multiple Operators” section under “Guidelines, Interpretation, and Intent”.
The latter section refers to another doc, Guide for Clubs/Groups: 
   https://docs.pota.app/docs/activator_reference/activator_guide_clubs.html
 
Hope to see folks in a week, I’m planning to be there with an HF radio, probably to run primarily voice/SSB.  The area they asked us to operate in has some good open space – finding decent shade may be more of an issue.   From what Neice said, we should park at the lot off of Lowell Road (set GPS for Great Brook Ski Touring Center), rather than the lot off of North Road nearer the ice cream / dairy farm.  See attached pic from Google Maps – the lot at the left and field toward the Park HQ marker.  Carlisle center is south on Lowell Road from this view.  I went by this weekend, it’s a large lot and the field to the south is fairly flat and very open.  Bring your own antenna support, and maybe sun cover.
 
73,
Adam / AA1N
 

K6KJN: “Twenty Things I’ve Learned While Curating the Digital Library of Amateur Radio & Communications” at Framingham ARA Meeting, October 3, 2024

John Iwuc, KB1VXY, writes on the Framingham ARA mailing list:
 
Please register for our October 3 meeting. We will forgo our usual business meeting and start promptly at 7 pm at the McAuliffe Library and on Zoom.
  1. Tom Frenaye, K1KI, who is one of the contenders for the New England Division Director of the ARRL, will talk for the first 10 minutes or so.
  2. After that Kay Savetz, K6KJN, will talk about  “Twenty Things I’ve Learned While Curating the Digital Library of Amateur Radio & Communications”
  3. We are planning on having Fred Kemmerrer, AB1OC, current New England Director of the ARRL, talk about his work at a special meeting probably on 10/10/24, stay tuned.
Please register whether or not you will attend on Zoom.
 
John