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Clubs / Public Service

Volunteers Requested, PART of Westford Pumpkin Patrol, October 31, 2018

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PART of Westford logoTerry Stader, KA8SCP, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:

A couple of weeks ago I thought it was time to start thinking about our annual Pumpkin Patrol on Halloween Night in Westford. Well, it is next week and I am still looking for a few more volunteers!

As we have done for many years, PART provides additional eyes and ears around our cemeteries and public buildings. We are looking for some hams to watch for tricksters and let us know (NCS is stationed at Police HQ) when there are issues so we can get a police officer dispatched if necessary.

Halloween Night is next week, Wednesday October 31st. Our Pumpkin Patrol runs from 5:45 until 10 PM. but we’ve been known to be released by 9:00 PM if the weather is cool and activity on the street low. You do not have to be there for the entire event. Some folks have come in for the 2nd half of the evening, after 8 when Trick or Treat official hours are over.

We’d love to have you join our crew. Got any questions, drop me a note.

Clubs / Technical

Harvard Wireless Club Announces CubeSat Collaboration

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photo of satellite in spaceThe Harvard Wireless Club is working with another Harvard student organization, Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, to develop a CubeSat for launch.

“We’re excited to announce a collaboration with [the Harvard chapter of ] SEDS to develop the communications systems for a Cubesat they plan on launching in June,” writes HWC President Benjamin, K7JS.

“To get ready in time, we’re going to be having a special meeting next Thursday, October 17 at 8 PM at 6 Linden just for the members of the club interested in developing the satellite comms systems. This is going to be an awesome project and I can’t wait to work on it.”

Lee invites those interested in working on the project to contact  him.

Clubs / Operating

Harvard Wireless Club QRV in School Club Roundup

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Harvard Wireless Club official shieldBill Collins, W1PL, writes on the Harvard Wireless Club mailing list:

The School Club Roundup will run [October 15] from Monday at 9 AM until [October 19] at 8 PM. We will announce through this website when we are operating. I plan on operating Monday 9 or 10 AM to 2 PM. If anybody wants to stop by during our operation the main operator will leave their contact information on this list. Stop by, make at least one contact, and you will be in the log as representing Harvard in this contest, and also receive a certificate of participation. Not sure about Tuesday, but Wednesday and Thursday, President Benjamin Lee should be on.

Station power will be left on throughout the contest, except for the antenna switch turned off and the linear amplifier power turned off (you may have to reboot the computer in the morning).

Most action is usually on 20 meters during the day, at night, 40 meters. Power should be kept down to 500 watts or less. Antenna: Europe might be good in the AM (70 degrees east), will fade in the afternoon. Check 15 and 10 meters periodically, as there *might* be some action there. In the afternoon, I suggest to point 270 degrees west. From Noon to 4 PM there may be 15, 10 meter openings to the west coast. After the sun sets (6 PM), 10 and 15 will be dead, and 20 will follow shortly. Any ops after this, use the 40/80 antenna, keeping the power down 300/350 watts or so.

Hope to see you there! 

Clubs / Operating / Public Information / Youth

Falmouth ARA QRV for JOTA

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Falmouth Amateur Radio AssociationThe Falmouth Amateur Radio Association will participate in the 61st annual Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) on Saturday, October 20, 2018. The JOTA event will occur at Falmouth’s Gus Canty Recreation Center at 790 Main Street, from 10 AM-5 PM.

FARA members hope to show all attendees (specifically any Scout–boy or girl) what ham radio has to offer and get them on the air.

Volunteers are needed to operate several stations as demos and to get folks on the air:

  • CW station
  • HF voice (SSB)
  • Digital (likely PSK31) with a big screen
  • 2m HT and/or mobile

For more information, visit http://www.falara.org/announcements/jamboreeontheairjotaoctober20.

Clubs

SEMARA Antenna Work

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Southeastern MA ARA logoDon Rosinha, WA1BXY, writes on the SEMARA mailing list:

This Sunday (October 14) we will start and hopefully finish the build of the new TH-11DX beam and 40-meter rotatable dipole that’s replacing the log periodic array on the tower. Anyone willing to lend a hand would be great. [We’re] in need of two sets of saw horses. Thanks in advance. 

Clubs / Operating

Sturdy Memorial Hospital ARC to Commemorate 40th Anniversary

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Sturdy Memorial Hospital ARCSturdy Memorial Hospital ARC members will operate special event station W1S to commemorate the club’s 40th anniversary on November 10, 2018 from 11 AM-10 PM and November 11, 2018 from 11 AM-5 PM. Everyone is welcome to operate from the club station.

“Please try to attend this meeting to volunteer your time to operate,” writes club secretary Ray Cord, K2TGX.  “Even if you are a Tech we will have a General or Extra to work with you. It is not a high pressure contest. We are just making contacts to celebrate our 40-year history. This is a great learning experience for HF operating. If you absolutely can’t make the [October 16] meeting please email me with the hours that you can operate.”

The club was formed in the aftermath of the Blizzard of 1978, when members with Sturdy Memorial Hospital served their community with emergency communications.

UPDATE: See https://www.qrz.com/db/w1s for times/modes of operation. 

Clubs / Licensing Education & Training

Whitman ARC Offering Technician Class, September 4-27, 2018

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Recent licensing class held by the Whitman ARCThe Whitman Amateur Radio Club is currently conducting a Technician training class at the Whitman police station at 20 Essex Street on Tuesdays until September 27, 2018. Ross Hochstrasser, W1EKG, and Paul DeLory, W1GTX, are instructing. The class will culminate in a volunteer exam on October 2, 2018. For details, visit http://www.wa1npo.org/training/training.htm.

Clubs / Public Information

Barnstable ARC Presence at Harwich Cranberry Arts & Music Festival, September 15, 2018

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Barnstable ARC at the Harwich Cranberry Arts & Music FestivalThe Barnstable Amateur Radio Club had a presence for the second year at the Harwich Cranberry Arts & Music Festival on September 15, 2018 from 10 AM – 6 PM. The festival featured food trucks, music, community and vendor tables, and a bicycle event.

According to BARC organizers, “excellent weather and band condition made for a good weekend.”

Clubs / Public Information / Youth

Harvard Wireless Club Table at Student Involvement Fair, September 7, 2018

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Harvard Wireless Club official shieldThe Harvard Wireless Club will participate in the Harvard Student Involvement Fair on Friday, September 7, 2018 at Tercentenary Theater in Harvard Yard, Cambridge.

“We will be at Table 719. Just look for the Alex Loop antenna on the 19-foot tripod, which is usually the tallest thing at the fair,” remarks W1AF station manager Bill Collins, W1PL.  Bill is requesting HWC members come by and help recruit new people. The crew will conduct talk-in on the MIT repeater, 449.725/444.725 -, PL 114.8. 

The first meeting of the Harvard Wireless Club will be held on Tuesday, September 11 at 6 PM. Adds W1PL, “We will have free pizza. Hopefully,  new recruits will be there.”

Clubs / Operating

Zola Net Restarting

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Matt Chao, N1IBB, writes on the Middlesex ARC list:

Now that summer’s officially gone (Labor Day), it’s time to resume our  activities for the rest of the year.  The first session of the Zola Net  for the other three seasons will be starting up tomorrow at 7 PM on the  Newton repeater (147.360, PL of 67 Hz.  The purpose of the Net is to give  both new and experienced hams the opportunity to participate in a  controlled Net environment.  The Net usually lasts for about half an hour.

Looking forward to hearing all of you on the Net tomorrow, weather  permitting.  (T-storms are forecast for tomorrow as a cold front comes  through). 

Clubs / Operating

New 6-Meter Net in Barnstable

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Falmouth Amateur Radio AssociationLarry Gray, W1IZZ, writes on the Falmouth ARA web site:

“Brian, W1HXN, has started a 6 meter net on the N1YHS 6M repeater in Barnstable. The repeater operates at 50 watts and is located in Barnstable village by the courthouse complex. The repeater is on 53.010, – 1MHz offset, PL tone is 173.8. The time-out timer is set for 180 seconds. 

“Brian set a date of 8/29/18 @ 7:00 pm as the 1st meeting of the 6M net. If you need to check your equipment before that time, Brian will try to monitor the repeater as much as he can. Thank everyone for showing an interest.  It is an open net, so everyone is welcome to check-in.”

 

Clubs / Public Service

Marlborough Household Hazardous Waste Day, September 29, 2018

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Eric Williams, KV1J, Marlborough EMA Communications Officer writes in the Algonquin ARC QRZ newsletter:

Please join us as we support the biannual joint Hudson-Marlborough Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on September 29th .

Our support is a combined effort by our Algonquin Amateur Radio Club and the Marlborough Emergency Management Team. Using our radio communications skills, we manage the traffic flow and validate residency for the approximately 400 cars that come to the event. We use both our N1EM repeater and the Emergency Management’s UHF radios.

We setup at 8 AM and the event runs from 9 AM to 1 PM. The event is next to the Marlborough Resident Drop­-Off Facility, located at 860 Boston Post Road East in Marlborough, behind the Half Way Café near Home Depot. I will send out an email reminder before the event. Event Flyer from the Marlborough City web: https://www.marlborough­ma.gov/sites/marlboroughma/files/uploads/household_hazardous_waste_fall_2018.pdf.

Clubs / Operating

Genesis ARS Fox Hunt Training and Antenna Building, September 8, 2018

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Jack Buckley, W1AKN writes in the Genesis ARS Newsletter:

Please plan to attend the fox hunt training session planned for Saturday, September 8 at 9AM at the Genesis ARS Meeting Room, Plymouth Airport.  This training session is in preparation for the fox hunt on September 15 following the GARS Breakfast.
 
We have ordered several 2-meter tape measure beam kits that will be available for purchase and will help you to build the kits at the training session.
 
Clubs / Public Service

Marlborough Labor Day Parade, September 3, 2018

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AARC logoThe Algonquin Amateur Radio Association is looking for volunteers to assist in the Marlborough Labor Day parade on September 3. The parade is one of the club’s highest profile public service events. 

According to AARC’s Ed Fitzgerald, K1DIN, “The early recruiting for this year’s parade and the great response may give us the opportunity to try some operational upgrades. Each year that we’ve filled our roster, we have made some changes which seem to have worked well.”

Jim Babish, K1UUM, has agreed to assist Ed as his assistant team organizer “so that he might learn all the steps to getting the parade team ready.” Says K1DIN: “Of similar importance, we need to continually ‘deepen our bench’ so that in years when some of our volunteers have other commitments for parade day, we still can have complete coverage… We have a few experienced volunteers who have been able to fill in for folks who have last minute emergencies, for which I will be forever grateful.”

Those wishing to volunteer should contact K1DIN at: edfitz1@earthlink.net.

Clubs / Licensing Education & Training / Operating

SEMARA Contest College, September 9, 2018

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Southeastern MA ARA logoThe South Eastern Massachusetts Amateur Radio Association (SEMARA) will host a presentation entitled Contest College @ SEMARA on September 9, 2018 at approximately 12 PM.
 
This hands-on presentation will cover:
 
* different styles of contesting
* achieving a respectable score with 100 W
* operating various modes during a contest
* home-brewed  antennas for contests
 
There will also be on-air operation, listening and/or making contacts during the Worked All Europe SSB contest.
 
The organizers request an approximate head count, so lunch time pizza can be ordered.  Email Don if you are interested and plan to attend at: wa1bxy [at] hotmail [dot] com.
 
The SEMARA club house is located at: 54 Donald Street, S. Dartmouth, MA 02748; club phone number for messages: 508-997-7070
Clubs / Field Day / Public Information

Framingham ARA Field Day Featured on “Access Framingham TV”

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Screenshot of "Framingham Beat" featuring story about FARA Field DayThe Framingham Amateur Radio Association‘s recent Field Day operation at the McAuliffe Library was featured on Framingham’s community access channel accessfram.tv. According to FARA’s Glenn Axelrod, KC1HPZ, the coverage “is expected to be part of Access Framingham’s ‘Framingham Beat’ news magazine show at 7:30 PM on August 2.”

“Sumner, W1VIV, was featured prominently… his explanation of Field Day became the narration for the video that KC1HPZ shot and AFTV’s staff edited.”

Access Framingham can be viewed on RCN 3, Comcast 9, or Verizon 43. It can also be live-streamed on the web at accessfram.tv/watch.

UPDATE: the program can also be found on YouTube: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZjHmHfIP90>.