Eastern Massachusetts ARES Exercise – “Operation Frozen Days” – Saturday 2/6/21 – 1000 AM-1200 PM EDT

The Eastern MA Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) will conduct an exercise in conjunction with the Cape Cod ARES exercise Operation “Frozen Days” on February 6, 2021 from 10 AM to 12 Noon (setup to start at 830-9 AM where needed) to test its capability in establishing communications with stations inside and outside of the section. Operation “Frozen Days” will attempt to build upon the lessons learned from past operational exercises.

The exercise scenario involves a series of coastal storms battering Cape Cod and the Islands with winds over 90 MPH over several storms. Eventually, hundreds of thousands of people in Eastern Massachusetts are left without power due to this series of coastal storms.

“This exercise guideline is deliberately broad and generic in nature like the fall exercise. ARES groups are free to adapt this scenario and conduct their exercise as needed for their group,” writes District Emergency Coordinator Frank O’Laughlin, WQ1O.

“This is another great opportunity, similar to the Fall exercise, for new Amateur Radio Operators, whether they are involved in ARES or not, to check into nets, provide simulated information and exercise traffic, or just check in and learn how nets work and what ARES can do during an actual event. This includes the National Weather Service SKYWARN component of ARES” writes Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator.

With the ongoing COVID-19 situation in MA, it will be unlikely that groups will be able to operate at EOCs and other municipal locations. Therefore any activation of shelters will be simulated by role play. It is likely that most of the operations involved in this exercise will utilize home stations along with field sites on Cape Cod and at other local ARES groups and those local groups’ discretion.

Some exercise objectives include:
• Simulate the activation of shelters in your area;
• Simulate the activation of EOC stations in your area;
• Establish and conduct a tactical net on simplex 2m FM/ repeater for your group;
• Simulate contact with any Town EOC RACES stations;
• Establish contact with other ARES districts where possible;
• Establish an HF 75 meter voice net for all of MA (and potentially other areas);
• Pass an NTS type message on 2 meters VHF and/or 440 MHz;
• Pass a SKYWARN and/or tactical message on voice 2 meters and on the HF net;
• Optional components of the exercise to pass information digitally via Winlink and NBEMS (Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System)

For full details, see the “Eastern MA Exercise Scenario and Guidelines” document at Eastern Massachusetts ARES Winter Exericse – Saturday February 6th, 2021

KC1DKY Foxhunting Activities Highlighted on Wilmington Cable TV

KC1DKY foxhunting featured on Wilmington cable TVNick Mollo, KC1DKY, writes:
 
I recently interjected on a Facebook post on one of the Wilmington groups where they were talking about letterboxing and geocaching and I mentioned fox hunting using radios.  This got picked up by one of the content producers at Wilmington Cable TV.  He contacted me to ask about fox hunting and how it related, and told me he was going to put together a piece on what he called “modern day treasure hunting”.  We set up a Zoom interview, and even my daughter got involved, and he interviewed us.
 
If you are interested, you can watch the video – the whole program is just over 13 minutes, and our segment is the first six minutes or so.  I hope I did the sub-hobby the justice that it deserves.
 
 
Enjoy!  My daughter and I look forward to getting back out there when the weather starts getting warmer again.  I hope you are all staying safe and healthy!
 
73 for now!
 
Nick
KC1DKY
 

Oxbow Nat’l Wildlife Refuge, Devins Activated POTA K-0327, January 17, 2021

Oxbow POTA antenna photoSteve Ciavarini, NQ1F, writes on the Wellesley ARS mailing list:
 
I just returned from activating another POTA, K-0327, at Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge, in Devens, MA, at the Bill Ashe Visitors Center. Due to Covid-19, the center was closed and not a soul showed up. But it made for an easy first-activation POTA, since the site has easy access to the forest from the parking lot. 
 
 
I worked 20m SSB and CW, for a total of 25 contacts and many P2P contacts. I finally got to work Mike, K8MRD, who is a POTA addict and produces a wonderful YouTube POTA series.  I set up my full-height vertical with 8 ground radials, operating my FT-891 at 50 W.
 

All photos:   https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AtnjiGa3Hsvj74sbQyUsqAAYMn7hUTXR?usp=sharing

 

 If you are interested in participating in POTA, let me know.

 
73,
 
Steve

KM1CC On the Air for the 118th Anniversary of the First USA-UK Wireless Transmission, January 18, 2021

The Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club, KM1CC, will be on the air on January 18, 2021 to commemorate the 118th anniversary of the very first United States-to-United Kingdom wireless transmission. Check dxsummit.fi for spots/frequencies as well as our KM1CC – Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club Facebook page.
 
(All times are UTC)
 
CW
0000-0100 Slow Speed CW 80M & 160M
0100-0400 CW 40M, 80M & 160M
1100-2359 CW 20M, 30M, 40M, 80M & 160M
 
SSB
0000-0400 SSB 80M.
1300 -1500 SSB 17 or 20M
1500- 2359 SSB 40M, 80M
 
Note: Operators will switch bands if conditions are poor. Check dxsummit.fi for spots. (Just doing the best we can to be on the air during Covid-19.)

Wellesley ARS Members Activate Dighton Rock Park K-2430 for POTA

Dighton Rock Park POTA ActivationSteve Ciavarini, NQ1F, writes on the Wellesley ARS mailing list:

Rob, WA1UMU,  and I activated our first [Parks On The Air] for 2021, K-2430, Dighton Rock Park, Berkley, MA.  A nice day to get outdoors. 

We operated 20m & 40m. Lots of QSB. 15m & 10m dead. Rob did very well with Wolfriver vertical, and I used my homebrew 40m EFHW.

 
If you are interested in participating POTA, let us know.
 
73 & Happy New Year,
 
Steve
 
 

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net for January – Monday January 4th, 2021 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater System

Hello to all…

Happy New Year to all! The January Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday January 4th, 2021 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater system.

For frequencies that will be linked into the ARES Net on the MMRA Network, please see the following link from the MMRA web site detailing the repeaters that will be linked in through Hub 1:

http://www.mmra.org/repeaters/repeater_index_by_linkstate.html

We look forward to your participation and remember, we are always looking for Net Controls to run the ARES Net. For this month’s ARES Net, we will review events of the past month and talk a bit on ARES plans for 2021.

Thanks for your continued support of ARES!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
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Eastern Massachusetts Hospital Net – Saturday 1/2/2021 at 1000 AM EST

Good afternoon Everyone,

On behalf of the entire South Shore Health Radio Group we wish you all a Happy New Year.

We would like to thank all those that participated in the monthly nets last year. It put us all to the test and I’m sure 2020 will not soon be forgotten.

We also wish to thank our repeater owners and trustees. Without your continued support none of this would be possible.

With the vaccine being distributed to our front line workers and I’m sure to the rest of the population shortly, 2021 will be brighter. I can’t wait to get back into our radio shack at SSH and some normalcy.

Once again the group at Mansfield EMA has stepped up to the plate and will be running the January Net. I ask that if at all possible you join us tomorrow morning at 10am to show your support and appreciation.

The following repeaters will be used in the order listed.
1. Bridgewater 147.180 tone 67.0
2. Norwood 147.210 tone 100
3. Falmouth 147.375 tone 110.9
Return to the Bridgewater for any final comments and Net closing.

Regards,
John O’Neill
K1JRO

ARRL Staffers to be On the Air from W1AW for Straight Key Night, January 1, 2021

Members of the ARRL Headquarters staff will put W1AW on the air for Straight Key Night (SKN). Set some time aside on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day to take part in this annual ARRL tradition.

Information on Straight Key Night can be found at http://www.arrl.org/straight-key-night .

SKN begins at 0000 UTC on January 1, 2021 (New Year’s Eve in US time zones) and wraps up at 2359 UTC. Not a contest, SKN is dedicated to celebrating amateur radio’s Morse code heritage. Bring out the brass, get on the air, and enjoy casual CW contacts, preferably using a straight key (hand key) or a semi-automatic key (bug). Activity traditionally centers on CW segments in the HF bands (W1AW will focus on 80, 40, and 20 meters).

Submit via email your SKN list of stations contacted and your votes for “Best Fist” and “Most Interesting QSO” by January 31 to,
straightkey@arrl.org .

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net – Monday December 7th, 2020 – 830 PM EDT

Hello to all…

The December Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday December 7th, 2020 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater system.

For frequencies that will be linked into the ARES Net on the MMRA Network, please see the following link from the MMRA web site detailing the repeaters that will be linked in through Hub 1:

http://www.mmra.org/repeaters/repeater_index_by_linkstate.html

We look forward to your participation and remember, we are always looking for Net Controls to run the ARES Net. For tonight’s ARES Net, we will review events of the past month and talk a bit on ARES plans for 2021.

Thanks for your continued support of ARES!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
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(UPDATED) First Annual Hams All-Holiday On Air Celebration (W1E Special Event Station), December 12, 2020

Parks On The Air logoDec. 12: Unfortunately I had to cancel this event – a very unusual occurrence for me. Looks like the weather is a bit uncooperative too.  -KM1NDY

 

Mindy Hull, KM1NDY, writes in the Wellesley ARS Spark Gap newsletter:

Hello Friends! You are all cordially invited to:

WHAT: 1st Annual Hams All-Holiday On Air Celebration (W1E Special Event Station)  

WHEN: Saturday December 12, 2020. Two times: W1E on air from 11am to dusk. Everyone get together from noon to 2pm.  

WHERE:  Meet at Hopkinton State Park. Use the Main Entrance at 164 Cedar St., Hopkinton, MA 01748. Follow the map below.  Same place as November’s POTA!

PARKING: Park in large lot at boat launch. We will meet in a grove of trees with picnic tables near the beach at the end of the parking lot that is the farthest from where you entered it. See maps.  Park as close to the meeting spot as possible in case it’s real cold and we need to use our cars to warm up. 

MONITORING: 147.555 FM

GPS COORDINATES OF EXACT MEETING SPOT: 

42°15’30.7″N 71°31’01.8″W     ( 42.258539, -71.517168 )

WHY: To take back some of what this year stole from us.

DETAILS: We will operate the special event station W1E from about 11am to dusk at Hopkinton State Park on December 12, 2020 for the 1st Annual “Hams All-Holiday On Air Celebration”. We will be celebrating every holiday that anyone missed because of this crazy year! Our goal is to have as many QSOs as possible and then send a greeting card to every contact. We will set up one portable radio station in a heated shelter and operate SSB on 20M early and 40M later. The shelter will only hold one to two people at a time given the pandemic, so expect it to be cold. Bring your own equipment for other bands if you want to operate simultaneously; we have 100-Watt RF band-pass filters available so we can operate on multiple HF bands at once (10, 12, 15, 17, 20, 40, 80M).

If some of you would like to help operate the main station, send me an email with the time you are requesting to be on air.  Or just show up and we’ll see if we can get you on. Or bring your own station. 

If you want to just come hang out with radio people, enjoy some non-Zoom companionship, make a few contacts, and celebrate the holidays in person, show up between noon and 2pm. We will be social distancing, wearing masks, and splitting into smaller groups if there are more than 25 of us. Be prepared for cold!

Also, Hopkinton State Park is a Parks-On-The-Air (POTA) site, so you can activate a park as well! Activation code = K-2440. 

Bring as much festivity with you as possible! We all really really need it this year…

(I’ll send one more update next week!)

Yours, 

KM1NDY

Bristol Co. RA Foxhunt Update

Fall River ARC/BCRA logoThe Bristol County Repeater Association  (a.k.a. Fall River Amateur Radio Club) held a fox hunt on Saturday, November 21, 2020.

Here’s the recap – First, we couldn’t have asked for better weather! No one found the fox, but WA1LBK’s team was really close and KC1NDQ was closing in also. The fox was in the parking lot, with permission, of Lexi-Lu’s Place (great blueberry pancakes!) at the intersection of American Legion Highway (Rte. 177) and Forge Road in Westport, about .5 miles south of route 6. the coordinates are 41.6347 and -71.6547 or approximately 7.493 miles SW of the center of the designated search area.

KC1LMY used the strategy of getting a bearing and locating all the Dunkin’ shops along that line – not a bad idea, but the last I heard there were more than 35 Dunkies in Fall River alone!

We are planning more hunts – you can check the Fox Hunt page at bcra.club or email KB1CNB@arrl.net to be added to the fox hunt email list.

 

2020 K1USN Veterans Day Special Event Wrap-Up

K1USN Veterans Day 2020 CertificateFrom K1USN Happenings, November 19, 2020:

I want to extend my thanks to everyone who helped us make this a success. Obviously we would not be able to conduct our usual in-person activation at K1USN on November 11th due to the pandemic. We had some discussions back and forth and decided that a 31 hour operating event might just work providing we could get commitments from enough operators to get on the HF bands and give us coverage on SSB, CW and FT8/4. As things evolved we even had our first contacts on the 630 meter band using WSPR thanks to Dave – AA1A.

As I said, there were quite a few people who made this a success. We thought that a downloadable certificate commemorating Veterans Day would be a cool idea. Yes it is, but it meant that we had to create one (Tnx WA1MAD, N1VH & W1VP) and then create the ability for stations to submit an online certificate request (Tnx W1VP).

Oh, yeah, what if we make a certificate but nobody even works us? Well, we really had a good turnout of operators, some who covered multiple shifts!

Thanks to this crew of operators:

AA1A – Dave
K1EBY – Frank
K1RV – Pi
K1VUT – Dave
K1WCC – Henry
KC1G – Mike
N1DC – Rick
W1TJL – Tom
W1XD – Lou
WA1MAD – Mike

We need to give a special thanks to Rick – N1DC for the outstanding job he did compiling all our log data. This was quite a task, but the results are attached below and show the great results.

I’ve already received approximately 75 QSL requests via snail mail so far and Larry – W1VP said that we have at least 180 downloadable certificate requests so far. BTW, Randy – KB3IFH is updating our K1USN QSL card and I hope to receive our new order for 500 more cards soon.

If you managed to work K1USN during the 2020 Veterans Day event I urge you to at least submit a certificate request.

If you make contact with K1USN during Veterans Day and would like a certificate emailed to you, please fill out the request form here.

Here is Rick’s summary:

Rick Pendleton
Nov 16, 2020, 11:32 AM (4 days ago)

Hi,

Thanks to everyone that participated in this event. The K1USN team did an outstanding job this year. We had operators using CW, SSB, FT8, FT4 and WSPR. For the first time we had QSO’s on 630M using WSPR thanks to Dave AA1A.

After working through some issues with the logs, I was able to create a master log in N1MM+ that combined CW, SSB, FT8 and FT4. Thanks to Mike KC1G and Lou W1XD for the extra effort sorting out some adif issues. The WSPR log could not be imported since it wasn’t in ADIF format. However, the QSO data was included in the summary.

I will investigate WSPR log file conversions further.

There were a LOT of QSO’s completed using FT8, FT4 and WSPR providing many with QSO’s that might not have happened otherwise.

Overall results : 1,690 QSO’s , 53 DXCC countries, 20 CQ Zones
The were 500 FT8, FT4 and WSPR QSO’s accounting for 30% of the total.

In addition, there were 157 QSO’s made during the 1300, 1900 and 0300 UTC CWops CWTs by K1VUT, N1DC and K1RV. This was not actually part of the event but K1USN was on the air using “Watson” and MA as the exchange.

Attached are pdf files showing the Results and supporting details.

The Master ADIF and LOG files have been sent to Pi and Larry.

73,
Rick N1DC

Hopkinton State Park POTA Activation, November 14, 2020

Mindy Hull, KM1NDY writes:

Here are the Group POTA / Radio Hoopla details: 

DATE/TIME:   
Saturday Nov 14 2020 @ noon to whenever. 
 
LOCATION: 
Meet at Hopkinton State Park. Use the Main Entrance at 164 Cedar St., Hopkinton, MA 01748. Follow Maps (attached). 
PARKING: 
Park in large lot at boat launch. We will meet in a grove of trees with picnic tables near the beach at the end of the parking lot that is the farthest from where you entered it. See maps. 
 
GPS COORDINATES OF EXACT MEETING SPOT: 
42°15’30.7″N 71°31’01.8″W     ( 42.258539, -71.517168 )
 
WEATHER: 
50 degrees, 10% chance of rain, sunny. 
 
WHAT TO BRING? 
Comfort items like warm clothes, food, drinks, chair. There should be picnic tables available. 
A handheld 2M radio if you have one. 
 
WHAT ABOUT RADIO STUFF?
We will have everything you need to get on the air. Otherwise. bring whatever you want. 
We will have HFSSB set up for 20M. We will set up a 40M OCF for Derek’s CW QRP kit build. We will have an arrow antenna for possible satellites. 
We will also have a major surprise! 
 
WHAT FREQUENCY WILL THE GROUP USE/MONITOR? 
147.555
 
PARKS ON THE AIR (POTA)? 
If you want to start getting POTA points, you need to make 10 contacts using your call sign. 
Please sign up for POTA by clicking the login tab (on two different screens) here: https://parksontheair.com/
If you do not sign up for POTA, expect to use my call sign on the air. This is so I can make sure “hunters” get credit for their qsos. 
Also, I can be the control operator for anyone who is not a general class that wants to use HF SSB. 
 
Hopkinton State Park activation code for POTA is K-2440.
 
That’s all folks! See you on Saturday! 
KM1NDY
 
Hopkinton State Park POTA map

K1VV, N1DT Awarded Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Photo of ARLH Lifetime Achievement AwardThe Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society awarded Robert (“Whitey”) Doherty, K1VV, and Don Tanguay, N1DT (SK) collectively known as “The Cape Crusaders” with the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of their significant achievements over the years and for giving Light beacon enthusiasts many activations in the Northeast / New England region. Whitey accepted the award on behalf of the team.  [Full story]

K1UVH Continues the “Great Hill” Tradition

Mike Antoine, K1UVH, and several friends have established a wonderful tradition of operating regularly atop “Great Hill’ in North Weymouth, Massachusetts.

It started some time ago after he began hosting a Field Day operation at the summit of the hill. Since then, his group has been gathering once a month to operate the high frequency bands, two meters, 220, and 440.  Mike calls it a “Day of Radio.”

“We bring tables, chairs, batteries, radios and antennas. We practice social distancing and masking, and I have sign-in sheet for tracking purposes,” says Mike.

The core group of operators consist of K1UVH, N1KMX, K1SEH, WB1EMS. All are retired firefighters, EMTs, or paramedics.

The group have had up to 17 amateurs swing by, including a group from a VE session in Braintree. Mike has also established a Facebook  group for “The Great Hill Gang.”

“My goal is to have fun and share and learn within this great hobby of ours.”  Mike can be contacted at mikeantenna <at> verizon.net.

K1USN Radio Club Veterans Day On Air Event, November 11, 2020

K1USN QSL cardWednesday, November 11, 2020, is Veterans Day and once again K1USN plans to be on the air to honor those who have served our country.
 
As you might expect during these difficult times, we are looking for an alternative way to get K1USN on the air.
 
We have decided to announce a 31-hour operating event beginning at 0000 UTC Nov 11th and running through 0500 UTC Nov 12th. The format will consist of two hour shifts and you can use the K1USN call from your home QTH. We will have two hour operating slots available on CW, SSB as well as FT8. Depending on the amount of interest you may need to specify a particular band to operate.
 
Marty – N1VH is now creating a signup document which we hope to be able to post on the K1USN web page. We will need someone to step forward to offer to handle scheduling for us. They would be the contact person for anyone wishing to operate any shift. Operators would contact you via e-mail and/or text to verify the open shifts.
 
BTW, the reason for making this a 31-hour operating event is to give us as much opportunity to work DX stations as well as W/VE stations. Our Veterans Day observance on November 11 coincides with Armistice and Remembrance Day in many other countries.  
 
Ordinarily we have a very good turnout at K1USN for Veterans day and enjoy the operating as well the free Starbucks coffee. This year you will have to supply your own coffee at home!
 
The current list of operators is:
 
K1VUT – Dave
WA1MAD – Mike
K1RV – Pi
N1DC – Rick
 
Due to the uniqueness of the current situation it would great if many of you decided to give it a try operating as K1USN. Although we often generate some pretty busy pileups when operating at the K1USN club station, you can set the pace from the comfort of your home station.  –K1USN Happenings, November 6, 2020

Algonquin ARC Battery Challenge Begins December 1, 2020

photo of 6v latern batteryThere is QRP, even “QRPP.” Aficionados get on the air, battery and spare battery in hand and see how many contacts—or how much DX—they can log. But have you ever considered how many QSOs are actually held in a single battery pack?

A few years back, a member (W1XP) of another club, the Nashoba Valley ARC up in the Pepperell­/Groton area decided that finding out would make a good club activity. Thus, the Lantern Battery Challenge (LBC). Participants were issued a 12V stack of off­-the-­shelf 6V lantern batteries. (You know the ones—they’re about two inches square and four or so inches high.)

Each participant was charged with making as many contacts as possible within four months, or until the battery was discharged beyond the point of usefulness. By the way, at the participant’s option the battery only had to power the transmitter portion of whatever station equipment was used. Well, with virtual meetings, things are pretty quiet in these here parts. I was thinking, maybe an LBC of or own would liven things up. Under the Vice President’s sponsorship, AARC’s LBC will commence at 0000Z on 1 December 2020 and conclude at 2400Z on 31 March 2021. You can join at any time during the “contest” period. Participation is voluntary, with only one stipulation: you get your own battery stack and you let me know that you’re playing in the game. OK, that’s two stipulations. And I’d like to know what you did and how successful you were. Is that another stipulation? I’ll work up some rules for the effort and post them on AARCList. Maybe we’ll have a party when our LBC is over.

-Skip, K1NKR, AARC QRZ, November 2020

Bristol County RA Fox Hunt, November 21, 2020

BCRA/FRARA logoThe [Bristol County Repeater Association] will be holding its “First (in a while)” BCRA Fox Hunt on Saturday, November 21, 2020.

Check-ins starting at 9:45 am on the BCRA repeater, 145.150 MHz PL 123. Chat and help on the repeater also.

The Fox will activate at 10:00 am on 146.565 MHz FM with a 5-watt signal and will transmit one minute of tone followed by Morse Code ID and four minutes of silence. The hunt will last until 2:00 pm or until all checked in participants have found the transmitter, whichever comes first.

The Fox will be located within a 10 mile radius of the intersection of President Avenue (Rt. 6) and North Main Street in Fall River. ( Latitude 41.7159 Longitude -71.1510 ) The Fox will be in a public place and will be manned at all times. When you have found the fox your time and order of arrival will be recorded and a personalized certificate will be emailed to each participant.

Participants are encouraged to work in teams, and are asked to drive carefully and observe all applicable guidelines, both from the FCC and the state & local governments. Since participants are receiving only (except for radio check-ins) an amateur radio license is not required.

Email questions to Skip at kb1cnb@bcra.club or text to 774-644-3469. After the hunt, your comments, impressions, and suggestions will be welcome!

Join us and have some good amateur radio fun!

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net – Monday November 2nd, 2020 – 830 PM EDT

Hello to all…

The November Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday November 2nd, 2020 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater system.

For frequencies that will be linked into the ARES Net on the MMRA Network, please see the following link from the MMRA web site detailing the repeaters that will be linked in through Hub 1:

http://www.mmra.org/repeaters/repeater_index_by_linkstate.html

We look forward to your participation and remember, we are always looking for Net Controls to run the ARES Net. For tonight’s ARES Net, the focus will be on participation in the Eastern Mass ARES SET for Saturday 11/14/20 timed with a national Red Cross exercise. We’ll also do a quick review of past events in the month of October and preview the 2020 SKYWARN Recognition Day event for Saturday December 5th, 2020 from 0000-2400 UTC.

Thanks for your continued support of ARES!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
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ARRL Sweepstakes, November 7-9, 21-23, 2020

November Sweepstakes logoContest Objective: To support amateur self-training in radiocommunications, including improving amateur operating skills, conducting technical investigations, and intercommunicating with other amateurs. Stations in the United States and Canada (including territories and possessions) exchange information with as many other US and Canadian stations as possible on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands.

Dates:

CW: First full weekend in November (November 7-9, 2020).

Phone: Third full weekend in November (November 21-23, 2020).

Contest Period: Begins 2100 UTC Saturday and runs through 0259 UTC Monday.

Click here for updates on the Affiliated Club Competion program

2020 Update:

There are now a total of 84 ARRL/RAC sections, as RAC has separated Prince Edward Island (PE) from the Maritime (MAR) Section. Make sure your contest logging software and “country” (CTY) files have been updated so that those abbreviations are recognized and credited properly.

In addition, effective April 1, 2020, RAC has realigned the Ontario South (ONS) and Greater Toronto area (GTA) sections- with the City of Hamilton and the Regional Municipality of Niagara moving from ONS to GTA.

Visit contests.arrl.org/contestmultipliers.php for a complete list of contest multipliers and their abbreviations.

Contest rules are now maintained as a single downloadable document (see below).

For contest information contact contests@arrl.org or (860) 594-0232.

[For more information, visit <http://www.arrl.org/sweepstakes>.]