a field organization of the National Association for Amateur Radio®
Radio clubs
Norm, WA1NLG, writes on the BARC mailing list:
Phil Temples, K9HI, ARRL New England Vice Director will provide the Barnstable Amateur Radio Club an “ARRL Update” on March 1, 2021, at 7PM.
Contact Norm Cantin, WA1NLG, at norman.cantin@gmail.com for Zoom details.
At its February 27, 2021 board meeting, the Framingham Amateur Radio Association voted to donate $500 to the Framingham Police Association, naming Sgt. Paul Patriarca, K1PMP, and family as beneficiary. Patriarca’s Grafton home was tragically involved in a home fire; thankfully, no one was hurt.
According to FARA president John Iwuc, KB1VXY, “Paul received his technician class license through FARA and periodically attends the Saturday morning Shack openings.”
Two club members agreed to donate $100 each to FARA to help defray this cost.
“Pi” Pugh, K1RV, writes in K1USN “Happenings”, February 25, 2021:Maybe you just received your Technician license, or perhaps you have had it for a while and burnt out on sparse FM Repeater contacts. Take a new look at the possibilities available to you beyond repeaters. Explore Tech HF and 6 Meter privileges for SSB, CW and Digital Modes (FT8/FT4/RTTY) to expand your operating modes and the distance covered in contacts. Explore other VHF/UHF uses, including SSB, Satellite Operation, FM Simplex, Digital Modes, Contesting, and more.
We are fortunate to have Anthony, K8ZT, back with us as we kick off the month of March.
This presentation will be of interest to everyone as well as for Technicians. There are many Hams who may have gotten licensed years ago and have just not found the time or guidance needed to assemble a station to get on the air. There are also many others who have perhaps gotten into a “rut” of just following the same pattern of operating over and over again without change.
Anthony has a great way of presenting his thoughts which should give us all a chance to hit the Refresh Button!
Here is one of Anthony’s recent presentations for the 2021 Virtual Hamcation about operating in State QSO parties – https://www.youtube.com/watch?
If you have previously received our K1USN Zoom invitations then you are already on that list and will receive your Zoom invitation on Sunday for the March 2nd session. If you would like to be added to that list or you know someone else who might like to join us, please contact me (k1rv@arrl.net) to be added to the K1USN Zoom invitation list. We do ask that you do not share the Zoom invite information which will help us to minimize the possibility of “Zoom Bombing” issues.
By the way, I know that I’ve mentioned Anthony’s website before, but every time I visit it I become even more impressed at the vast amount of resource material available – http://www.k8zt.com/
Check it out and I guarantee that you will be impressed!
Michael Bennett, KG1U, writes on the GARS Now mailing list:
Dom Mallozzi, N1DM, will present the “History of Radio in Maine back to World War I” on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 19:00 ET.
This talk is a discussion of historic radio sites in Maine from World War One through the 1960s. This discussion includes some radio sites that have long disappeared but had a major influence on radio, like the site of the first major commercial use of single sideband. As with any such history discussion, we will also cover a few technical details on the progress of technology over the years from long waves to satellites.
For Zoom conference information, email Bob Phinney, K5TEC, at bobphinney -at- nescitech -dot- org or call 508-720-4179.
Mike Powell, W1KU, writes on the Algonquin ARC mailing list:
After this week’s Sunday net, I plan to operate 70 cm FM (maybe 2 m, too) from my lantern batteries. I plan to be at my employer’s parking lot at a high point in Hudson (77 Reed Rd), so I’m hoping for decent simplex coverage to the local area.
This is an opportunity for club members with technician or above licenses to make LBC contacts (2 points for contacting a member). My goal is also to check my simplex range from this location, so even if you don’t have lantern batteries set up, a QSO would be great.
I will announce myself on the repeater during and after the net.
Planned frequency is 446.0 MHz FM (alternate: 446.5 MHz FM). If there are requests for 2 meters, I plan to operate at 146.52 MHz FM (alternate 147.42 MHz FM).
Ron Senykoff, KG1T, President, Waltham Amateur Radio Association writes:
Please join the Waltham Amateur Radio Association at 8 PM on February 24, 2021 in welcoming John Langner, WB2OSZ, for a presentation on Dire Wolf APRS Software.
John is one of the main developers of Dire Wolf. In the early days of Amateur Packet Radio and APRS, it was necessary to use an expensive “Terminal Node Controller” (TNC) with specialized hardware. Those days are gone. You can now get better results, at lower cost, by connecting your radio to the “sound card” interface of a computer and using software in place of the traditional TNC.
Dire Wolf is a software “soundcard” AX.25 packet modem/TNC and APRS encoder/decoder. It can be used stand-alone to observe APRS traffic, as a tracker, digipeater, APRStt gateway, or Internet Gateway (IGate).
Some links to look at before the meeting if interested in the tech:
BEST 73 DE KG1T
Waltham Amateur Radio Association President Ron Senykoff, KG1T, has established a Google form signup page to allow non-WARA members to sign up for online meeting notifications “while giving us protection against ‘Zoom bombers.’” Please visit https://walthamara.org/meetings/ to find the sign up form.
The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s February meeting is Thursday, February 17, 2021 at 7:30 PM. This meeting will be conducted via Zoom. Meeting details are below. Thanks to Jim Hein, N8VIM, and Medtronics for the Zoom conference. I apologize for such late notice.
The February meeting will feature Brint Ferguson, W3NOZ, who will speak on radar and stealth technologies.
Thanks and 73. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Bruce, K1BG
978-772-2773 or bruce.blain@charter.net
Doc Kinne, KE1ML, writes in the Boston ARC Sparc February, 2021 newsletter:
The Boston ARC will be holding a general meeting on Thursday, February 18, at 7:30 p.m. on the Zoom teleconferencing platform. Morgan Johnstone, KB1ZFP, will be highlighting changes and possibilities for the BARC website.
[For Zoom meeting information, email Doc Kinne, KE1ML at ke1ml@arrl.net.]
Dan Brown, W1DAN, writes in the Wellesley ARS Spark Gap:
Our next Zoom meeting will be Tuesday, February 16 where we’ll have Dom, N1DM, discuss the history of radio.
I will email a Zoom meeting invite link before the meeting. Also, if you are not by your computer, you can call in to the meeting via telephone.
The North Shore Radio Association will hold its next meeting on February 15, 2021 at 7 PM.
Zoom conference information will be sent via the NSRA groups.io mailing list. Contact Eric, KA1NCF, atka1ncf -at- nsradio -dot- org to be added to the groups.io list.
George Allison, K1IG, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:
The two Bobs, [PART of Westford] member Bob Glorioso, W1IS, and Bob Rose, KC1DSQ, just can’t stop writing! Not content to have an article in December CQ magazine, they now have an article in the January issue of CQ titled “Baluns Basics” that describes what baluns are, how they work, and how to make them. Settle in to your easy chair, because the article is six pages (!) long, with lots of pictures and graphics. As usual, it’s well-written and very readable.
I note with some amusement that right in the middle of their article is full-page ad for LDG baluns — so you have a choice: you can a) buy a balun without knowing what it does or how it works (boo!) or b) build your own with full knowledge of what’s happening inside (hooray!). The choice is clear!
I’ve heard that there may be more articles coming in the months ahead. Well done to the two Bobs for improving the state of ham radio art and science!
“Pi” Pugh, K1RV, writes on the K1USN Happenings list:
George Allison, K1IG, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:
From NUWC mailing list:
Hello fellow radio enthusiast! This week we be learning about the foundation of our club, Ham Radio.
In particular we are learning about contesting! Contesting is a great way to use ham radio whether you are just learning or you are an expert. It usually takes place during a extended time interval where ham radio enthusiast – a team or individual – compete to make contact with as many as they can. This can be a great activity get out and socialize with new people especially in this age of isolation, and contest are a great opportunity to pick up the basic of using your license!
The meeting is this Thursday, February 11th, 6-7 PM. The meeting will be on Zoom, hope to see you all there!
The NCRA conduct its Wednesday, February 10, 2021 meeting at 8 PM using Zoom in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jim, WJ1R, will be our Zoom host. Thank you to Jim for agreeing to take on this role!
It will be a good opportunity to see and hear our members! We have a few business items to cover, but we will let everyone have a chance to speak.
Please note that we do need to end the Zoom session shortly after the meeting ends so please be mindful of our host asking us to end our discussion after the meeting closes. Thanks in advance for your cooperation and understanding!
73,
Dick, K1HC
Mike Powell, W1KU, writes in the Algonquin ARC QRZ newsletter:
The next [Algonquin Amateur Radio Club] meeting will be held on February 11, 2021 at 7:30 pm online via Zoom. Information on joining this virtual meeting will be sent out in advance via email.
This month we continue our series of remote virtual speakers with Amanda Alden, K1DDN, speaking on Amateur Radio Emergency Communications.
[For Zoom conference information, email Mike Powell, W1KU, at <president@n1em.org>.]
Northeastern Wireless Club members will staff a table at the NEU College of Engineering Clubs/Organizations Fair on February 4, 2021.
According to the NWC mailing list: “The COE club fair is a great way to hear and find out more about various clubs and activities on campus related to STEM. Many clubs table there so it is a great place to find out more about getting involved. All are welcome and we would love to talk to anyone about Wireless Club so feel free to stop by any time 6 PM to 8 PM.”
John Iwuc, KB1VXY, writes on the Framingham ARA mailing list:
Lew Nyman, K1AZE, FARA President from 1976 to 1982 will talk on: “Remembering the FARA Legacy” [at the Framingham ARA meeting online on February 4, 2021.]
Lew notes the following:
“I joined FARA in 1973 when we were called the Framingham Radio Club. Back then Enzo Rotatori, WA1PYF, was president. I quickly got involved with organizing our hamfests. I was elected president in 1976 and served as president until 1982. I then became club director and also W1FY trustee until the fall of 1995 when Raytheon relocated me to Alabama. During a lot of these years I was flea market chairman and also custodian of our 75/15 repeater. I was also on the committee to establish our club as one of the first clubs to be certified as a VE (Volunteer Examiner) club when that program was established by the FCC.
My talk will focus mainly on those years when I was active in the club. They were significant years for our club since we achieved many milestones. I also will recall some interesting stories during those 22+ years. ”
