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Clubs / Youth

Bruce Blain, K1BG: “Connecting With Youth and Educators,” April 3, 2019

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Andy Wallace, KA1GTT, writes on the BARS web site:

I am excited to bring back Bruce Blain, K1BG to speak at [the Billerica Amateur Radio Society]. You may remember his talk with us about The Entry Level License: What’s Worked and What Hasn’t. Bruce has an eye for spotting opportunities about influencing the young folks and getting their interest piqued for amateur radio.

Recently, Bruce enlisted three other Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club members to assist him in judging a school science fair. This was an opportunity for NVARC to connect with youth and educators and parents, with the hope of generating more budding hams. You can see how this has potential for rejuvenating our hobby.

Bruce will describe what happened and I am sure he will field questions we all have about why ham radio’s average age keeps climbing each year and what we can do about it.

Please come and support Bruce, and thank him for speaking for a fellow club.

[See also: NVARC Members Participate in Bromfield Science Fair] 

Clubs

Zola Center ARC Meeting: “Using Ham Radio Away From the Ham Shack,” March 30, 2019

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Frank Ventura, N1FMV, writes on the MARC/Zola mailing list:

Everyone is welcome to join us at the next meeting of the Zola amateur radio group. The specifics and agenda are below.

When:  Saturday, March 30 , 2019

Where:  20 Hartford street, Newton MA  02461

Time:  11:00 AM to 1:30 PM

Agenda:

11:00 AM:  Welcome and any old business brought to the floor

11:30 AM:  One of the projects I have been working on is exploring different ways of using ham radio away from the ham shack. While on vacation in Florida, myself and N1NGK were able to check into our Thursday evening net via Echolink on our iPhones. I have been looking into alternatives to be used with some of my HF equipment. I will demonstrate one or more potential solutions that I have found.

12:30 PM:  Our traditional pizza lunch

1:00 PM:  Fellowship and open topics

Hope to see everyone at our next meeting.

Clubs

Pentucket Radio Association Meets, March 21, 2019

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Pentucket Radio Association logoDavid Robertson, KD1NA, writes on the PRA mailing list:

On March 21 at 7:30 PM [there] will be a general meeting for all [Pentucket Radio Association] members and visitors [at the West Newbury EOC/Fire station, 401 Main Street, West Newbury, MA].
 
An important topic of discussion will be the coming Spring NEAR-Fest on May 3rd and 4th.
 
Discussion of the repeater status and future upgrades.
 
Hope to see all of you there.

 

Clubs / Organization

K1VR Presents at Nashoba Valley ARC Meeting, March 21, 2019

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Bruce Blain, K1BG, writes:

The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s March meeting will be Thursday, March 21st at 7:30 PM at the Pepperell Community Center (in Pepperell).

Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, our newly-elected ARRL New England Division Director, will join us this month. Fred suggested discussing antenna zoning (his specialty) and current ARRL matters (his new job). He’s an accomplished speaker, a contester and an alumnus-affiliate of a local college radio club, so the session just might easily meander following audience interests.

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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.

Clubs / Public Service

Groton Road Race Requests Amateur Radio Support, April 28, 2019

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Ralph Swick, KD1SM writes in the March, 2019 issue of NVARC “Signal”:

Sunday, April 28 will be the 28th running of the Groton Road race. The Groton Police Department and the Race Committee are again formally requesting support from the Amateur Radio community for logistics and safety communications for this high-profile event. The Groton Road Race has been a major event for Amateur Radio in North Central Massachusetts. [The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club] has been coordinating the ham participation since the second year of the event. Many NVARC members are 26-year (soon to be 27-year) veterans. Those of you who have joined us in past years know that the runners sincerely appreciate our presence. Many say so as they run past. This event is so large that Police Departments from several other communities come to assist the Groton PD. Part of our role is to provide the communications from the Groton Police to these out-of-town officers who come to help with the event. 

Contributing to the public good is one of the reasons Amateur Radio exists. Our public service events are a key opportunity for us to show our colors, volunteer our skills and equipment, and demonstrate why it is in the public’s interest to continue to allocate precious RF spectrum to our the Amateur Radio service. The Groton Road Race is a low-stress event and a great way to gain more experience with the public service aspect of Amateur Radio. Please consider joining us on the 28th. If you are interested in helping at events like this but are unsure of what is expected of you or what equipment you may need, please do not hesitate to ask Ralph KD1SM, Stan KD1LE, or John, KK1X. You can also find detailed information about the operations in previous years at <https://www.n1nc.org>.

Clubs

QRA Presentation: HCJB “The Voice of the Andes,” March 21, 2019

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QRAThe Quannapowitt Radio Association will present Harry Chase, WA1VVH who will speak at the club’s March 21, 2019 meeting about his adventures while working at “The Voice of the Andes,” HCJB shortwave station in Ecuador. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM.

QRA membership meetings are held in the Reading Senior Citizen Center at 49 Pleasant Street in the old fire house. All are invited and holding an Amateur Radio license is not required.

Clubs / Organization

Section Manager Presentation at PART of Westford, March 19, 2019

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PART of Westford logoAt the [PART of Westford] meeting next Tuesday, March 19, our speaker will be Tom Walsh, K1TW, Section Manager for the ARRL Eastern Massachusetts section.  He will explain the various activities and appointments within the section:

“My talk is focused on the ARRL Field Organization which consists of the volunteers in a section, many of which make ARES run among many other kinds of activities.  I have a volunteer staff of 11-12 who in turn manage about 100 volunteers throughout the section, many of who are PART members already.  I explain how a section is organized and how people can be involved.”

Please come with questions about ARRL activities within the section.

Clubs

Mystic Valley ARG Meets, March 17, 2019

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Nick Magliano, KC1MA, writes:

The March  meeting of the Mystic Valley Amateur Radio Group will be held on Sunday, March 17, 2019 @ 9 a.m.  The meeting will be held at the Milton Auxiliary Fire Department Station, 2nd floor, 509 Canton Ave. Milton Mass. 

The building is behind the gazebo to the right of the Milton Fire Headquarters where we’ve held our Field Day Operations in past years.  Local map is attached below as a post script.

We will be monitoring the 145.43 Belmont repeater for talk-in.  Please feel free to email me with any 
questions.    kc1ma at arrl dot net

https://www.townofmilton.org/sites/miltonma/files/uploads/towncommontrafficdirectionfinal.pdf

Clubs / Youth

Northeastern University Wireless Club Guest Speaker: Pete MaLellan, March 14, 2019

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From the NU Wireless Club web site:

This week during our usual meeting time [Thursday, March 14, at 503 Hayden Hall] we will be hosting Pete MacLellan from Lutron, who will be speaking about his experience at Northeastern and at Lutron.  Come to hear about coop experiences, and an exciting company in the Boston area who hosts many Northeastern coops, many of which are part of Wireless Club!

Clubs / Licensing Education & Training

Framingham ARA Flea Market and VE Session, April 7, 2019

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Framingham ARA logoThe Framingham ARA Spring Flea Market will take place on April 7, 2019 at the Keefe Technical School, 750 Winter Street in Framingham. Admission for buyers is $5; under the age of 12 is free. Tables are $20 in advance and $25 at the door if available. There will be refreshments, a VE session and door prizes.

For complete information, visit <https://w1fy.org/flea>.

Clubs / Technical

W1DYJ to Present FT8 Talk at Minuteman Repeater Association, March 20, 2019

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MMRA logoThe Minuteman Repeater Association will feature Larry Banks, W1DYJ, who will present “FT8: Not a Prefix, a Powerful New Mode” on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 at 7:00 PM. The meeting location is the Microsoft Technology Center, 5 Wayside Rd, Burlington, MA 01803.  (Directions)

“FT8 showed up on the ham horizon in August 2017, and has since become the ‘hot new mode.’ Larry will discuss its history and how to set up your station. He will also introduce a supporting application called JTAlert and highlight some reporting web sites. He will end with his personal experience using FT8 to chase DX.”

 

Clubs

K1USN Radio Club Shack Closed, March 2, 2019

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USS Lawence/ K1USN QSL card“Pi” Pugh, K1RV, writes on the K1USN Radio Club mailing list:

“It looks like we will be hit with some nasty weather in the morning and we’ve decided not to open up K1USN [in Braintree] in order to allow the town trucks access to the rear parking lot for snow removal.
 
“Perhaps you all might want to stay indoors with some hot coffee, tea or chocolate and have some fun on the HF bands.”
Clubs / Organization / Regulation & Advocacy

ARRL Leadership Talk at Billerica ARS Meeting, March 6, 2019

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Billerica ARS logoThe Billerica Amateur Radio Society will feature presentations by Eastern Massachusetts ARRL Section Manager Tom Walsh, K1TW, and ARRL New England Vice Director, Mike Reisbeck, K1TWF, at its monthly meeting in Chelmsford on March 6, 2019 at 7 PM. Mike will discuss the ARRL Board of Directors meeting; Tom will describe the proposed hands-free cell bill now in the Massachusetts Legislature. Additional information and directions can be found on the club’s web site.

[This talk was rescheduled to March when a dangerous ice storm forced cancellation of the original February meeting.]
Clubs / Licensing Education & Training

Algonquin ARC Flea Market, Marlborough, February 16, 2019

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Agonquin ARC logoThe Algonquin Amateur Radio Club is again holding its Marlborough Flea Market on February 16, 2019 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the 1Lt Charles W. Whitcomb School, 25 Union St., Marlborough, MA. Talk-in is on the MMRA repeater, 147.27+ (PL 146.2).

A VE session will be held beginning at 9:00 AM. General admission is $5. Vendor tables are $15 before February 9, 2018, or $20 at the door if space is available. Each table includes one admission.

For more information, contact Tim Ikeda, KA1OS at 508-919-6136 (before 9:00 PM), email fleamarket@n1em.org or visit http://www.qsl.net/n1em/FleaMarketFlyer.jpg.  

 

 

Clubs / Technical

W1DAN Featured on Ham Nation Podcast

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Wellesley ARS logoBruce MacKinnon, KC1FSZ, writes on the Wellesley ARS list:

If you don’t normally listen, be sure to check out yesterday’s edition of the Ham Nation podcast.  Our very own [Dan Brown,] W1DAN is mentioned (around 1:10) in connection with the upcoming AM Rally and the installation of a monster AM station at W1AW HQ. Way to go Dan!