Organization

July 2020: EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS (EMA) SECTION NEWS

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Welcome to the Eastern Massachusetts ARRL section newsletter
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To see all the monthly news, which is updated regularly, visit <https://ema.arrl.org/>.
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UP FRONT

AMATEURS ADAPT to COVID REMOTE VE TESTING

There is no question that the current COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted how we go about participating in our hobby-service.  Social distancing and restrictions on indoor gatherings have caused us to curtail club meetings, picnics, breakfasts—even volunteer examinations. Fortunately, Zoom and other online conference tools have helped to fill the void.

The New England Sci-Tech Volunteer Examiner (VE) team, along with other teams across the country, have been successfully conducting remote examinations now for many months. Team leader Bob Phinney, K5TEC, began a series of trials on April 1, 2020, under ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) review. He and other VE teams now provide ARRL approved video-supervised test sessions almost every day of the week.  Bob’s team has also successfully trained other ARRL VEC-sponsored teams across the country and worked with the software developer of Exam.tools and HamStudy.org, to help them streamline the system for video-supervised testing.

At the moment only one person at a time can be tested, which limits the number of candidates and adds significant time to the VE team’s schedule. An additional time issue is how long it takes a candidate to go through the security protocol involving video-checking the candidate’s work area and room, reading the protocols, and getting the electronic surveillance set correctly. Sometimes the setup for an exam takes longer than the exam itself, in order to provide complete integrity of the exam session.

ARRL VEC-sponsored teams require the use of at least two video cameras—one, to monitor the examinee’s eyes to ensure attention stays focused on the test; the other, to watch the person’s hands on the keyboard. Additionally, audio must be turned on to confirm that no one is speaking in the presence of the test taker. Also, no one else may be present in the room. (Not surprisingly, the vast majority of tests are conducted in the bathroom!) Full screen sharing via Zoom ensures that no other applications are running on the computer during the exam.  Finally, the sessions are recorded and kept for thirty days in case there are any questions about the integrity of the test session.

How has it worked?  Surprisingly well. I can report that, as with any in-person exam session, there is a strong rapport between examiners and examinee. The moment after the test is graded when the results are posted is equally gratifying. There is no mistaking that big smile of relief and the “thanks” are equally profuse—despite the fact that all parties might be separated by thousands of miles.

ARRL was not the first VEC to embrace remote testing, but they have implemented the best version—one carefully thought-out and well-designed and goes far in safeguarding the integrity of the licensing process. It is one that we can all be proud of.

–Phil Temples, K9HI

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ARRL HELD A JULY BOARD MEETING!

The ARRL Board held a virtual one-day meeting on Friday July 17.  There was little advance publicity from ARRL.

The ARRL issued a high level summary of the Board meeting which is found at <http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-board-meets-in-remote-electronic-meeting>.  Some highlights include discussion of a final HF Band Plan, work on hiring an Emergency Management Director, and other matters.  Until the minutes are published, few details other than this ARRL summary exist.  There was no advance preparatory meeting held by the New England (NE) Division Director, Fred Hopengarten K1VR, with NE ARRL section staff and NE club presidents.

Sometimes, other Division Directors may distribute information too.  For example, here is an interesting video describing the July Board meeting, “ARRL Holds a Board meeting on Zoom”, from Ria Jiaram, N2RJ, Hudson Division Director: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SpLeNX3tA8>

— Tom Walsh, K1TW

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UNDERSTANDING ARRL

This the first in a series aimed at improving awareness of the ARRL as a member organization; the benefits members can access; and what ARRL does every day to strengthen Amateur Radio.

The ARRL Annual Report is Well Worth Looking at Every Year
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In the simplest terms, this is how the 2018 ARRL Annual Report describes the ARRL:

“The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for Amateur Radio in the US. Today, with over 156,800 members, ARRL is the largest organization of radio amateurs in the world.

Our mission is simple: “To advance the art, science, and enjoyment of Amateur Radio.”

If you have never seen or read the Annual Report, you are missing a lot of great information.

The first half is an easy read with many great articles.  Every Annual Report highlights the accomplishments over the past year.  There are some interesting articles in the 2018 report, such as: The Presidents’ Message, The Year in Review, and lots of shorter articles about emergency communications, operating actives, and licensing.

The second half of the Annual Report tends to focus on the required financial and auditors’ details.

Find the 2018 Annual report at: <http://www.arrl.org/files/file/About%20ARRL/Annual%20Reports/2018%20ARRL%20Annual%20Report.pdf>.

You can see all the latest reports at <http://www.arrl.org/annual-reports>.

Take Advantage of the ARRL Email Newsletters
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Times change and so does ARRL. For decades, joining ARRL meant simply receiving QST every month.  But a single publication cannot truly represent the diversity of such a large membership.  So over time ARRL introduced many newsletters dedicated to different audiences. Today, we can sign up for many specialty publications, such as:

• The weekly ARRL Letter
• The bi-weekly ARRL Contest Update
• The monthly ARES E-Letter
• News from your Division Director and Section Manager
• W1AW Bulletins (e.g., weekly propagation forecast, DX, and other
  bulletins

At minimum, I hope you subscribe to “News and information from your Division Director and Section Manager.”

To sign up for this and more, go to ARRL.org and login.  Then select “Edit your Profile” and then select “Edit your subscriptions.” Then select what is of interest to you.

Take Advantage of all ARRL Magazines Included in Your Membership

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Today members can select to receive either “QST” or “On-The-Air” by mail.  But you can also view four ARRL publications (i.e., QST, On-The-Air, QEX, and NCJ) in digital format online without any additional cost as a member. ARRL has eliminated the separate subscription costs for both QEX and NCJ.  QEX features technical articles while NCJ contains articles and information about contesting. I personally think this is an excellent move by ARRL to make all these magazines available with membership.  How to see them?  Go to http://www.arrl.org/qst and in the left menu choose what you wish to read.

ARRL DIVISIONS – A Gold Mine of Nationwide Information
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I like to start my visits to clubs with a simple question “How many ARRL divisions and sections are there?”  Do you know?

Too often we only think about our local environment; our home station; our ham club; our city or town; our state; or our call area which happens to also define our New England Division.  Do you ever wonder what ham radio is like in a different section, or a different division?

I’ll bet your local club has (or at least should have) a very friendly welcoming web site that tells the world who they are!  We have some outstanding club pages here in Eastern Massachusetts.

Most sections and divisions have great web pages, too—like Eastern Massachusetts (EMA) at https://ema.arrl.org.

How do we find the gems outside our area and see what’s happening elsewhere?  It’s not as hard as you think.  There is a wonderful page on the ARRL web site that will introduce you to the world of sections and divisions.  Visit http://www.arrl.org/divisions.

Go to this site and click on each division and explore.

Try this:

– After first clicking on http://www.arrl.org/divisions

– Scroll down to where you see this text: “For your convenience, we have included direct links to the individual division web sites.”

– Scroll a little more and click the division name yet again and you will be taken to the division web site (if they have one – most do)

– Some of the divisions then have further links to their section websites.  I think this page is so cool.  I hope you will too.

Send me feedback
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If you find a great division web site, email me at k1tw@arrl.org. If enough folks respond, I’ll include in next newsletter the most popular division site based on our small world sample.

— Tom Walsh, K1TW

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FINAL WORD

Hospital Net

I am happy this month to be able to include details on the August Eastern Massachusetts Hospital Net.  Sometimes the announcement doesn’t make the section news distribution deadline but this month it does.  Thanks to K1JRO for the data.

— Tom Walsh, K1TW

The August 1,2020 Eastern MA Hospital Net will operate from the Mansfield Emergency Management Agency and the Net Control Operator will be Bob/WB1GON.

The Net will commence as usual at 10 AM.

He will use the following repeaters in the order listed, followed by a simplex test on 147.420, and then return to the Mansfield Repeater for Net closing.   

Mansfield               147.015 / tone 67 

Bridgewater                     147.180 / tone 67 

Attleboro               147.195 / tone 127.3 

— John O’ – K1JRO

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ACKOWLEDGEMENT

This section news has been jointly produced by Phil, K9HI, Assistant Section Manager and Tom, K1TW, Section Manager.

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ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section
Section Manager: Thomas D Walsh, K1TW
k1tw@arrl.org
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June 2020: EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS (EMA) SECTION NEWS

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      Welcome to the Eastern Massachusetts ARRL section newsletter

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To see all the monthly news, which is updated regularly, visit <https://ema.arrl.org/>.

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UP FRONT

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A PRELUDE TO SUMMER

I’m trying something a little different this month.  There is so much about Amateur Radio happening right now as July is knocking on the door, that I almost certainly will break my tradition of one long newsletter a month and issue shorter but more frequent newsletters for a while.

I am calling this June Newsletter the “Prelude to a summer newsletter series.” What might get covered?

•       Getting to know the ARRL better

•       The virtual ARRL Board meeting coming in mid-July

•       Who represents the New England Division at the Board

•       Who are our neighboring New England section managers

•       More about a most unusual Field Day that just concluded

•       The 13 Colonies Event

•       The IARU HF Championship (a great event)

•       Lots of other wonderful on-air events

•       Covid-19 hasn’t left but ham radio has been a huge help

•       And more!

I plan to start an ongoing series called “Understanding ARRL” (see below). Learn what League Officials, Division Directors and Vice Directors, Section Managers, Field, and Headquarters staff all around the nation do to make the amateur radio service better for all. PART 1 coming up soon!

Tom K1TW

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AMATEUR RADIO MEETS STEM IN PANDEMIC-CHALLENGED VIRTUAL CLASSROOM

“In the midst of a global pandemic, classroom learning continues. This is a story about a high school physics class continuing to operate and expand its horizons through exposure to the magic of amateur radio satellites – even while taking on the challenges of social distancing.” <https://ema.arrl.org/2020/06/26/amateur-radio-meets-stem-in-pandemic-challenged-virtual-classroom/>

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“TAUNTON AMATEUR RADIO ENTHUSIAST STILL HAMMING IT UP AFTER NEARLY SIXTY

YEARS”

(Taunton Gazette) Taunton amateur Ted Figlock, KA1AAT, was the subject of a nice feature story in the June 24, 2020 issue of the Taunton Gazette: By Charles Winokoor, Taunton Gazette Staff Reporter TAUNTON – Dr. Thadeus “Ted” Figlock has been a world traveler for the better part of six decades. And he’s done most of it from a sitting position. The 85-year-old, former obstetrician and gynecologist, who unpretentiously describes his medical career as having consisted mainly of “delivering babies and cutting out tumors,” has had a difficult year.  <https://ema.arrl.org/2020/06/25/taunton-amateur-radio-enthusiast-still-hamming-it-up-after-nearly-60-years/>

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UNDERSTANDING THE ARRL – A PERIODIC SERIES

How well do you understand the organization and operation of the ARRL?  Some members know it extremely well.  Many probably need to consult the ARRL website.

Our newly elected ARRL First Vice President, for example, is Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF, who is from our section.  How does the First Vice President fit into the ARRL hierarchy? Find out soon or go now to <https://www.arrl.org>.

How well do you know your Division Director, Vice Director, and Section Manager? If you heard them on the air would you recognize their callsign?  I like to ask people when I visit clubs, how many Divisions and how many ARRL sections are there anyway? Do you know?

The goal of this periodic series will be to provide members with a concise, focused look at many aspects of ARRL. You will be impressed by how varied the ARRL is and how much good it does for this hobby.

Stay tuned for the first installment!

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NEW AFFILIATED CLUB SERVICE OFFERED: YOUR CLUB ON THE WEB!

We know it’s difficult to recruit and retain a webmaster for your club. In fact, some clubs’ web sites have fallen into disrepair.  That’s why we’re excited to offer this new service to ARRL affiliated clubs—a hosted page on the EMA ARRL web site. The address is of the form, https://ema.arrl.org/<Your Club Name>. The pages would be maintained by our webmaster, with input from your club officers.

What would the page look like?

Check out the Wellesley Amateur Radio Society page at <https://ema.arrl.org/wars> and the Nantucket Amateur Radio Association at <https://ema.arrl.org/nara>.

Questions? Contact ASM Phil Temples, K9HI, at <k9hi@arrl.org>.

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WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THAT RADIO CLUB?

Please visit <https://ema.arrl.org/affiliated-clubs/radio-clubs-of-yesteryear/> and send any information you might have to  our Assistant Section Manager (ASM) Phil Temples, K9HI, at <k9hi@arrl.org>.

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FLEA MARKETS:

Most events are cancelled due to the health emergency, but you can check for the latest information at: <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/search/page:1/keywords:Canceled/model:Event>

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NEWS FROM EMA.ARRL.ORG:

Each day on the section web site we bring you news and information from Eastern Massachusetts

•       Call for Speakers: ARRL Learning Network

<https://ema.arrl.org/2020/06/30/call-for-speakers-arrl-learning-network/>

•       PART of Westford 2020 Field Day Awards

<https://ema.arrl.org/2020/06/29/part-of-westford-2020-field-day-awards/>

•       National Zoom Meeting: Winlink Express for EmComm, June 25, 2020

<https://ema.arrl.org/2020/06/25/national-zoom-meeting-winlink-express-for-emcomm-june-25-2020/>

•       New England Sci-Tech Offers Three On-line Technician Class Courses in July, 2020

<https://ema.arrl.org/2020/06/23/new-england-sci-tech-offers-three-on-line-technician-class-courses-in-july-2020/>

•       YCCC SIG: SSB Contesting, June 23, 2020

<https://ema.arrl.org/2020/06/23/yccc-sig-ssb-contesting-june-23-2020/>

•       13 Colonies Event Week, July 1-7, 2020

<https://ema.arrl.org/2020/06/21/13-colonies-event-week-july-1-7-2020/>

•       “Chatham’s Rob Leiden Helps Keep Amateur Radio Alive”

<https://ema.arrl.org/2020/06/12/chathams-rob-leiden-helps-keep-amateur-radio-alive/>

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EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS ARES

Amateurs Active during Severe Weather in Southern New England on June 6, 2020

Amateur radio operators were active for two rounds of severe weather on Saturday, June 6, 2020. The first round brought a swath of wind damage to portions of central and interior southeast Massachusetts. Wind gusts as high as 60 MPH—peaking to 70 MPH—caused damage in numerous towns in Western MA, extending into the Eastern MA communities of Bellingham, Wrentham, and Franklin.  Plainville and North Attleboro were particularly hard hit with damage extending into Hanover. Numerous downed trees and wires were reported. SKYWARN was active on the Paxton (146.970) and Walpole (146.895) repeaters.

On Saturday evening, a second severe thunderstorm affected a wide area from eastern Worcester County into south-central Middlesex along with portions of northern Norfolk County. Marc Stern, WA1R (Sudbury) and Carl Howe, WG1V (Stow) reported up to 1” hail and downed trees and wires.  Wellesley and Needham were also hard hit. Wolfgang, KB1OTR, contributed reports from Needham. SKYWARN nets were operational on the Westford and Paxton repeaters.

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Update

Eastern Massachusetts ARES participated in the national Red Cross exercise on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Numerous stations participated across the section.

EMA ARES also participated in the WX4NHC On-Air Test. WX4NHC operated on the MMRA linked repeater system ARES Net for over an hour as part of the exercise. A complete exercise report will be posted in a few weeks.

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Leadership continues to meet regularly.

Virtual, online training classes are being planned over late July and August and will be announced soon.

Plans are underway for a section ARES exercise on Saturday, August 8, 2020 at 10 AM. Check <https://ema.arrl.org/ares> for updates.

If you are interested in joining Eastern Massachusetts ARES, visit <https://secure1.ema.arrl.org/qilan/ares/EMA/ARES_about>.

To find out more about EMA ARES visit <https://ema.arrl.org/ares/>.

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EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS NTS

Section Traffic Manager (STM), Marcia KW1U

The May section traffic manager report may be viewed at: <https://ema.arrl.org/2020/06/14/massachusetts-traffic-report-for-may-2020/>

Find the list of all NTS daily nets in Massachusetts here: <https://ema.arrl.org/national-traffic-system/net-schedule/>.

To see more news on Eastern Massachusetts Traffic Handling and Nets visit <https://ema.arrl.org/category/nts/>.

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NET REPORTS

FIRST REGION NET (1RN) REPORT (CW)

Eric, W1RVY, is manager of 1RN Cycle 4, the evening CW net. Eric reports the May net had 62 sessions that handled a total of 118 pieces of traffic and a total of 207 check-ins for the month.

FIRST REGION NET (FRN) REPORT (SSB)

Betsey, K1EIC, manager of FRN, the daytime phone net reports the May net had 62 sessions that handled a total of 161 pieces of traffic and a total of 327 check-ins for the month.

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Section website: <https://ema.arrl.org/>

Section Facebook page: <https://www.facebook.com/easternmaarrl/>

Section Leadership: <https://ema.arrl.org/organization/#Section_Leadership>

Section Public Service List: <https://ema.arrl.org/2019/03/05/ema-public-service-list/>

Section Speaker List: <https://ema.arrl.org/2018/04/16/eastern-ma-club-speakers-list/>.

To join EMA ARES visit <https://secure1.ema.arrl.org/qilan/ares/EMA/ARES_about>

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FINAL WORD – Tom Walsh, K1TW

There has been quite a debate and some unhappiness about the ARRL allowing home stations (Class D) to count for points when making D-to-D Field Day QSOs this year.  This has surprised me a lot.  Everybody has a role to play in Field Day so why discourage any class from participating?  Here is my take!

Often, we overlook the importance of the Category 1D (home) station during our annual Field Day operations. Field Day provides not only the opportunity to set up in the field under simulated emergency conditions but also, to exercise and improve home station operations. There are very few emergency situations where a home or commercial-powered station is not involved as well.

I used the opportunity to make improvements to my existing home station including the addition of an amplifier for the first time ever.  I have the capability now to operate at home on 100 percent emergency power, which I maintain carefully, so I felt no need to turn on my air polluting generator for the full 24 hours this year. I proudly operated 1D for the entire exercise.

In fact, the ARRL has always allowed some categories to operate from commercial power and count for point credit after briefly exercising a generator. See Field Day Rules for Category A (“Commercial”) class and Category E (“Emergency Operation Center”) on commercial power.

In his Field Day message, ARRL President Rick Roderick stated it well: “For some of you, especially new licensees, this may be the first time you’ve established your own home station or portable radio communications capability. Let’s use this opportunity to show our friends, families, and community leaders that we are a trained, resourceful and reliable corps of volunteers.”

And if you need still more disaster operating experience join Eastern Massachusetts ARES at <https://secure1.ema.arrl.org/qilan/ares/EMA/ARES_membership_app_new>.

Also, check out the Eastern Massachusetts ARES web page at <https://ema.arrl.org/ares/>.  You can participate in planned fall and winter disaster exercises.  If you’re interested, don’t wait until next year—do more this year.

Congratulations and thanks to all who got on the air—whether from home as 1D, or any of the other categories—and helped to fill the bands during the weekend. No doubt everyone gained valuable operational and technical experience while at the same time had a lot of fun. 

Tom K1TW

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This June section news has been jointly produced by Phil, K9HI, Assistant Section Manager and Tom, K1TW, Section Manager.

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ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section

Section Manager: Thomas D Walsh, K1TW

k1tw@arrl.org

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