Clubs

Don Melanson, W1DM, writes on the QRA website:

It is sad news that I report that the Quannapowitt Radio Association ( QRA ) has ended.

At the October Board of Directors meeting the Board of directors recommended dissolution of the Association due to the number of factors as explained to the remaining QRA membership in a recent letter. The membership subsequently unanimously voted to dissolve the Association at the November Membership Meeting.

The membership also voted to distribute the remaining QRA treasury toFEMARA to support its scholarship programs.

It was also noted the the QRA dissolved on exactly their 73rd Birthday.

I would like to thank all Members, Board of Directors ( both present and Past ) and all others who supported the QRA in its 73 years of service to the Amateur Radio Field. We made a lot of friends both Nationally and Locally. Friends we will never forget. Hopefully we will catch each other on the bands.

73s de

Don Melanson W1DM

QRA President

Tom Walsh, K1TW, writes on the Billerica ARS mailing list:

Bruce Blain, K1BG,  will give an amateur radio software demonstration at the Billerica Amateur Radio Society meeting on December 1,  2021 at 7 PM. 

Bruce, W1LUS, will distribute the zoom link separately.

Bruce, K1BG, will join us with another one of his great presentations. This time Bruce will focus on a couple of software programs (i.e., RufzXP and Morse Runner), along with a demonstration of their use.  “Rufz” is the abbreviation of the German word “Rufzeichen-Hören”, which means “Listening to Callsigns”. RufzXP is an excellent training software for improving code speed and CW practice. Morse Runner is a Windows-based contest simulator developed by Alex Shovkoplyas, VE3NEA. Tools are also available to run Morse Runner on Mac computers.

Both programs are one of the many instruction tools used by CW Ops and CW Academy.

Following the presentation, we will invite the members to offer other suggestions of software they use on a regular basis to enhance their amateur radio pleasure. And, if there is interest, we can look into providing demonstrations at future meetings.

The business meeting and open discussion on any other topics will conclude the evening. So please join us for another friendly and informative BARS meeting.

About our evening speaker:

Bruce K1BG is an instructor for CW Academy, Bruce has recently been elected as President of the Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club which meets in Pepperell, MA. He is also the Affiliated Club Coordinator (ACC) in the Eastern Massachusetts ARRL section.

Art Lipatov, W1JAR, will present on “Digital Voice Modes” at the December 2, 2021 meeting of the Framingham Amateur Radio Association.

– DMR, Yaesu System Fusion, D-Star, advantages, shortcomings of each. There are many more modes, but these are the “main” ones
– Internet linked digital voice, talkgroups / rooms / reflectors. NEDECN DMR network (New England Digital Emergency Comm Network)
– Hotspots, connecting to digital voice internet rooms from your shack without a repeater.

Also, Ron, WO1E, will do a shack and equipment visit

Mike Powell, W1KU, writes on the Algonquin ARC mailing list:

The [Algonquin Amateur Radio Club] November 11th meeting will take place at the Marlborough Fire Station EOC (not the Middle School) and on Zoom.  Our guest speaker will be Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, speaking on “Helping Hams and Building Your Club” […].  Fred is planning to attend at the EOC.

Also, the club will be voting on a proposal to collect dues and update membership forms for the current year.  Details of the proposal discussed at the October meeting are included in the newsletter Ken sent out last week.  To vote, you must be present at the November meeting either in person or on Zoom.

73 de w1ku (Mike)

Joe Chapman, NV1W, writes on the Boston ARC mailing list:

The next general meeting of the Boston Amateur Radio Club will take place on Thursday, November 18, at 7:30 p.m. on the Zoom teleconferencing program. Our speaker will be Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, talking about his DXpedition to Bora Bora. […]

Further details will appear in this month’s issue of The SPARC.

73,

Joseph Chapman NV1W / Secretary, Boston Amateur Radio Club

Two club presidents are collaborating on a project to help amateurs develop their Morse code skills. Bruce Blain, K1BG, president of the Nashoba Valley ARC and Tom Walsh, K1TW, the Billerica ARS president, are spearheading the effort.

“Bruce and I have talked a number of times over the past year about helping those who have expressed an interest in learning CW or further developing their CW skills,” writes Tom. “We will have a kickoff meeting on Tuesday, November 2, at 7 PM.   

Tom Walsh, K1TW, writes on the Billerica ARS mailing list:

Larry Banks, W1DYJ,  will present on Antenna Modeling  at the Billerica Amateur Radio Society meeting on November 3,  2021 at 7 PM. 

This Antenna Modeling presentation will start with some history detailing why Larry has always been interested in understanding antennas. It will then go over the use of three applications: TLW, YW, and HFTA, from the ARRL Antenna Book. Using his homebrew 10M yagi an example, it will hopefully help you get a start at modeling your own antenna systems.

Larry was licensed in 1962 as novice KN1VFX and became W1DYJ in 1966. . Larry holds three degrees in EE from MIT. He spends his time chasing DX and contesting in Woburn MA (and from 2008 to 2021 at his second home in Harpswell ME).

He is also the net manager and newsletter editor for the Minuteman Repeater Association in the Boston area, publications editor for FEMARA (the group that runs HamXposition), a member of the Yankee Clipper Contest Club , and on the executive board of the Merrymeeting ARA in mid-coast ME.

Please join us for an outstanding talk about Antennas.

Following the talk, we will hold our annual club elections.

73,

Tom K1TW
Interim President

The next Whitman Amateur Radio Club meeting is November 3, 2021  at 7PM.

The meeting topic will be “Programs Helping Hams and Young People to Develop New Skills and Get on The Air,” presented by Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC. Fred is president of the Nashua Area Radio Society and he’s been mentoring young hams and prospective hams for many years. 

It will be a hybrid meeting at the Whitman K of C on Route 18 and via Zoom.  For Zoom a link will be sent out to the membership and guests via email.  This has been working well so far. Social distancing rules are enforced. Seats are arranged per the recommended guidelines for social distance and face masks are recommended to be worn.  This might change again.

Ken Caruso, WO1N, writes on the Yankee Clipper Contest Club mailing list:

YCCC is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: CQWW SSB Readiness

Zoom channel open at 1900 Local. Formal meeting starts at 1930.

Approximately 2 hours.

Feature talk: K5ZD on Tips for Being a Better Single Operator

73,

Ken – WO1N

[Contact Ken at wo1n -at- arrl -dot- net for Zoom information]

Just a reminder that the October Algonquin ARC meeting is next Thursday, 10/14, at 7:30 p.m.  We will be meeting both in the school library and on Zoom.  Zoom link will follow closer to the meeting.

Our guest speaker for the October meeting will be Tom Frenaye, K1KI, speaking about the New England QSO Party.  

Ken Caruso, WO1N, writes on the YCCC mailing list:

The formal meeting time is [October 6, 2021 at] 7:00PM – 9:00PM.

YCCC Member Andrew – KC2G will be giving a presentation on the propagation website he developed:

Prop.kc2g.com <https://prop.kc2g.com/>

Additionally, you may find the presentation by Jose – CT1BOH from the 2021 Spring Contest University interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-esob7BPtc

Check out Jose’s presentation that starts at the 5hr:39min mark and see how he used the data presented on Andrew’s site to improve his analysis/prediction of potential DX paths.

73,

Ken – WO1N

From the Northeastern University Wireless Club mailing list:

“This Thursday, [October 7, 2021 at 7 PM in 503 Hayden]  our resident ham guru Marty Sullaway, NN1C, will be giving an introduction to ham radio! We’ll talk about what ham radio even is, what cool things you can do, and how you can get involved.”