Clubs

George Allison, K1IG, writes on the PART of Westford mailing list:

The March PART meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, 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 speaker for the April meeting is Mindy, KM1NDY, who will give a presentation on SOTA and POTA operating. Portable operation can inspire amateur radio operators to get outside and play radio. While structured programs such as Parks-On-The-Air (POTA) and Summits-On-The-Air (SOTA) provide ready made opportunities for portable radio pursuits, the actual number of ways a ham can enjoy operating in the field is limited only by imagination. One bonus of portable radio is its ability to draw people together and promote the amateur radio hobby to the public at large. This talk will discuss gear choices, operating strategies for both individual and group events, and other factors that can help lead to a successful outdoor radio experience.

Mindy was licensed in February 2019, and holds an extra class radio license. She has activated 57 peaks for SOTA, now 21st in the W1 (New England) Association, and is an active POTA participant.

Attendees are reminded to bring donations for the Westford Food Panty. Items such as canned soups and Dinty Moore beef stew are always appreciated.

I’ve heard a rumor from a reliable source that there will be free stuff at the meeting!

73,
George K1IG

The next general meeting of the Boston Amateur Radio Club will be held on Thursday, April 21, at 7:30 PM. The meeting room will be opened at 7:00 PM for a period of socializing. The speaker will be Barbara Dougan, N1NS, who will present “A Little Bit About Forest Fires.”

A link will be published in the upcoming issue of The SPARC and will appear on www.barc.org on the day of the meeting.

73,

Joe Chapman NV1W / Secretary, Boston Amateur Radio Club

The next [Algonquin Amateur Radio Club] meeting will be hybrid held on April 14 at 7:30 PM in the library of the 1st Lt. Charles W. Whitcomb Middle School, 25 Union Ave, Marlboro. Enter from Agoritsas Drive next to police station and use door #1 at rear of building.

AARC Vice President “Skip” Youngberg, K1NKR, will present on amateur image modes.

My name is Steve Hoberman, KC1MWF, and I am writing to you about the Blue Hill Observatory Wireless Society which is just getting started, in case you have any interest in getting involved.

Those of us helping to get the club underway are in no way whatsoever trying to take you away from any club(s) to which you currently belong but, rather, just trying to be supportive of Blue Hill Observatory and help them get their club and initial activities started. In fact, for all of us currently involved, it will represent the second, third, or more clubs of which each of us individually are concurrently members.

Below for your info is the initial newsletter which Bob Phinney, K5TEC, and Rusty Moore, K1FVK, sent out in late February so you can get some more background. We have had two Zoom meetings to-date in recent weeks getting things started. Elections have been postponed a bit relative to what’s in the newsletter, but there is a lot of interest in beginning to plan for the May 14 Mt. Washington event described in the newsletter.

If you have any interest in hearing about or participating in this new club, please join us for the next Zoom meeting. It is scheduled for Wednesday, April 6, from 7:00 – 8:00 PM using Zoom link: […]. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks and 73,
Steve
KClMWF
Steve Hoberman
53 Allen Ave
Waban MA 02468

Please join the Waltham Amateur Radio Association  at 7 PM on March 30, 2022 when Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, will present “Helping Hams and Young People to Develop New Skills and Get On The Air.” 

[Contact Waltham Amateur Radio Association President Ron Senykoff, KG1T, at <rsenykoff@gmail.com> for video conference details.]

The Barnstable Amateur Radio Club will feature  Norm WA1NLG, who will present “Adventures with Linear Amplifiers / How to Build Your Own” on April 3, 2022 at 7 PM.

The Dennis Police Department is still closed to the public.  Contact Norm Cantin, WA1NLG, at norman.cantin@gmail.com for Zoom meeting details.

Tom Walsh, K1TW, writes on the BARS mailing list:

Next BARS Meeting: April 6, 7PM on Zoom

Speaker: Rob Leiden, K1UI
Assistant NE Division Director

Topic:  What can we do about Noise interference?  Help is coming.

One of the biggest problems faced by amateur radio in this era of new technologies is the growth of noise that interferes with nearly every aspect of our hobby.  Solar panels, LED (including pot farm grow lights) power supplies, dimmer switches, computers and many other devices generate interference as do power line failures, cable TV leakage and other service malfunctions.

The New England Division is creating RFI teams, trained and equipped to help hams find and fix noise problems. Teams are forming in all six New England states.   One has started up in the Eastern MA section and our goal is to have at least one in every section.  Rob will be describing how these teams should be able to assist our members if you experience RF noise problems at your station. 

Those who have the technical background and interest to lead or join your section’s team, should contact their ARRL section manager. The section managers will work with division Leadership to establish RFI teams throughout New England.

Rob Leiden, K1UI is both an ARRL Assistant Division Director for New England and an ARRL Assistant Section Manager for Eastern Massachusetts. 

The Algonquin Amateur Radio Club has announced the schedule for its upcoming Tech Night sessions via Zoom, and in the training room of the Marlborough Central Fire Station building at 215 Maple Street in Marlborough:

Director Emeritus Tom Frenaye, K1KI, will present at the Framingham Amateur Radio Association (FARA) meeting at 7:30 PM on “New England QSO Party Today and Yesterday.”

He will also talk about “Come on in, the water is warm” and “Improving your HF operating skills.”

Tom ran the ARRL Contest Department for 4 years from 1977-81. He served on ARRL and ARRL Foundation boards from 1985-2018. Tom started the New England QSO Party in 2002, with the help of Bob, W1RH. K1KI was volunteer and site location coordinator for the World Radiosport Team Championships held in the Boston area in 2014. He is a former New England Division Director and past president of the Yankee Clipper Contest Club.

FARA meets the first Thursday of the month (except in July and August) at 7:30 pm .  All area hams and those not yet licensed but interested in amateur radio are welcome to attend.

Members will receive a zoom invitation.  Non-members may request an invitation by sending an email to John president@w1fy.org.

Bruce Blain, K1BG, writes:

The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s March meeting is Thursday, March 17th at 7:30 PM at the Pepperell Community Center (in Pepperell). Doors will open at 7:10 PM.

We will also “simulcast” this meeting via Zoom (details are below), giving people who live outside the local area or who have concerns about meeting in person an opportunity to participate. Masks will be available for those who meet in person.

This month’s meeting will feature Dimitris Paliyannis, NE1D.  Dimitris will speak on “Hunting and Activation of Parks on the Air.” My understanding is that Dimitris will explain the program and talk about participating from the point of view of calling station.

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

PS. Thanks to the Pepperell Community Center for the use of the building, and thanks to Jim Hein, N8VIM, and his employer, Medtronics, for the use of the Zoom account.

Members of the K1USN Radio Club will meet and hear a presentation on Parks On The Air (POTA) and Summits On The Air (SOTA) by  Bob Farquharson, WC1N, via Zoom on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at 7:30 PM.   

For Zoom details, contact Pi Pugh, K1RV, at pi.k1rv -at- gmail -dot- com.

PART of Westford President George Allison, K1IG, writes on the PART mailing list:

The March [PART of Westford] meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, 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.

WARS President Dan Brown, W1DAN, writes in The Spark Gap, March 2022:

The March Zoom meeting [of the Wellesley Amateur Radio Society] will feature Dom Mallozzi, N1DM,  who will present on Digital Mobile Radio (DMR).  Dom is well experienced in this field and has a lot to offer.

I will send a Zoom invite out for this Tuesday March 15 at 7:30 PM.

Tom Walsh, K1TW, writes on the w1hh.org website:

Next [Billerica Amateur Radio Society] Meeting: Wed. March 2, 7PM on Zoom

Speaker: Mindy Hull, KM1NDY

Topic: Parks on the Air (POTA)

The next Billerica Amateur Radio Society (BARS) Zoom meeting on Wednesday, March 2 will feature Mindy Hull, KM1NDY, presenting on Parks On The Air (POTA). Mindy has organized many local club POTA operations in the Boston Area. Please join us for a look at this fun activity and how to get involved as a club.

BARS will announce the link to join the Zoom meeting before the meeting, and it will be posted to the BARS email list and should not be shared outside our Club. Are you on the email list? If not, please send an email to bars-subscribe@w1hh.org and then simply reply to the robot response from the server and you will be subscribed.

Observing our Zoom meeting requires only a web browser and headphones/speakers. You do not need a webcam or microphone unless you want to speak or be seen.

Before our meeting date, please go to https://zoom.us/test and see if it will function for you. If you have problems, we can try to assist – feel free to ask questions on the BARS email list.