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According to a story posted Feb. 27 on Wicked Local, the Arlington Emergency Management Agency is seeking Amateur Radio operators who are willing to assist the Town during emergencies. [Story]

John O’Neill, KB1QEM writes:

The South Shore Hospital Amateur Radio Club has been asked to provide communications support on St. Patricks Day March 17th @ 9:00 am. It is a 4 mile race starting at McGreals Tavern in Norwell on March 17th at 9:00 am. The race last for about 2 hours and is lots of fun. All that is required is a 2m radio (preferably handheld with a fully charged battery). If you are a new ham this is a great opportunity to get some field experience.

They let the runners choose the charities. They have 3 that we setup: Kathy Frank Scholarship Fund, The Boys & Girls Club of Plymouth and Friends of South Shore Hospital. Runners also have the option of setting up their own charity, bringing friends to run for their charity, and then we will make the donations post-race based on the number of runners each charity has run for them.

If you are interested in joining us please write to SSHARC@gmail.com.

Bob Salow, WA1IDA writes:

The Multiple Sclerosis Society has again requested ham support for the 2012 MS Boston Walk on Sunday, 1 April. As it has for the past several years, the walk starts and finishes at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston. The courses are a 3- or 5- mile walk along both sides of the Charles River, ending in mid-afternoon. Our assignments begin at 0900 and should be complete between early and mid-afternoon. An excellent lunch is provided for all walkers and volunteers.

This event has its hazards and quirks, but our communications support will make the day safe and smooth for participants, spectators and staff. For those who are new to ham public service, this event is a good introduction, and we need your help. For those who have done this before, your help is needed more than ever.

A 2-meter, 5 watt hand-held is needed. A dual-band radio is desirable, but not required. An antenna better than the “rubber duck” that came with your radio should be used for all public service Be sure you charge your radio’s battery before the event. An extra battery pack will be most helpful.

Ham public service is interesting and offers fun experiences. The communication load for this event is light, but safety and support for the participants are always our primary concern.

If you can help with the Multiple Sclerosis Boston Walk on Sunday, 1 April 2012, please reply to this email with all of the following information as soon as possible.

Full name
On-air name
Call sign
Postal mailing address (including 9-digit ZIP code)
Evening phone
Day phone
Cell phone
Email address
Does your 2-meter radio have CTCSS (PL)?
Do you have a dual-band radio?
Do you have a magnetic mount antenna?
T-shirt size

Let me know if you have volunteered for this event before and want a similar assignment. While we cannot guarantee requested assignments, we will try our best to meet your preference. Please respond as quickly as you can.

If you know other hams who would like to volunteer, ask them to send in the above information. If you are new and want to get more public service experience, this is an excellent event to get your feet wet. As significant as our communications will be, this event is a low impact opportunity to learn the ropes.

Your assistance is valuable. We will get the assignments and more details to you as soon possible. If you have already volunteered, bear with us and reply to this message.

You might also note that April and May are busy months for public service events requesting ham support. We will also be coordinating hams for the following events:

15 April – BAA 5K and 1 mile Races – Boston
29 April – Run of the Charles Canoe and Kayak Races – Charles River, Needham to Boston
12 May – MS Journey of Hope Walk – Natick
20 May – Brain Tumor Bicycle Rides – Waltham to Concord
…and more in June and October

Your assistance will be valuable for these events also. Notices will be sent closer to the event schedule. Help if you can.

Got questions? Don’t hesitate to get in touch!

73, Bob Salow, WA1IDA
wa1ida@arrl.net
508.650.9440 (H)
617.650.0062 (C)

The Minuteman Repater Association (MMRA) has created an exclusively 222 MHz repeater network. All the MMRA 222 MHz repeaters are now full time linked together and to each other only. The network currently consists of: 223.94 Hopkinton, 224.40 Quincy, 224.70 Weston, 224.88 Marlboro. All use a PL of 103.5. 222 MHz has superior propagation to 440 MHz or 900 MHz and is free from the interference on those bands. For more information on the MMRA 222 MHz Repeater Network go to www.mmra.org.

New amateur gear for the 222 MHz band has recently come on the market: Jetstream mobile($230), Alinco mobile($230), Wouxun 144/222 MHz portable($100), Alinco 222 MHz portable($170), Alinco 222/900 portable($350), Kenwood 144/222/440 MHz portable($300), etc.

“Tuesday is 220 Day” similar to “Thursday is 900 Day” is being promoted by Jeff, N1ZZN, and Roger, WA1NVC.

The New England IRLP Reflector has created a New England Amateur Radio 220 MHz Network(Near-220) channel (9124) just like the Near-900 channel (9125).

The MMRA 222 MHz Repeater Network will also be connected to the Near-220 channel on Tuesdays. This will be implemented as soon as the IRLP node at the Weston site is working.

It’s official — delegates attending the 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12) have approved a new 7-kilohertz-wide secondary allocation between 472-479 kHz for the Amateur Radio Service. [Full story]

Hello all stations:

I have an important update to our meeting on the 25th.  Since I made the announcement, over 70 people have confirmed their attendance.  This caused a small crisis with MEMA in that there would not be enough room at the original venue, the SEOC, for all to attend.  MEMA suggested to me that folks be turned away until we got down to the 50 person limit.  Instead, I found another venue so that our people can come together to learn about the changes and talk about it.

I have been fortunate to secure another facility from a generous friend in private industry, which is prepared to welcome as many members as may want to come out.  This development has the added advantage of attracting more of our members from the western part of the state to join us.  Our original attendees should also find that little additional time would have to be built into their trips, except those coming from locations near to Framingham.

No change to the date (2/25) and time (1000).

The new location is Atlas Box and Crating Company, Inc., 223 Worcester Providence Turnpike, Sutton, MA 01590.  The road is also known as MA route 146.  For most folks, I90 (Mass Pike) to Exit 10A (US20/MA 146), then southbound MA 146 to EXIT 7 (Central Turnpike) for a U-Turn to rejoin MA 146 north.  Plant entrance is at bottom of the ramp to the right.  DO NOT REENTER HIGHWAY.  Bear left at the fork in the entrance road to park.

Their website is http://www.atlasbox.net, but no directions.  Use http://maps.google.com instead to plan your trip.

As this is also a secure facility, please be so kind as to RSVP me again at w1mpn@arrl.net so I know you got this change.  Your courtesy in the last round helped avert a major crisis, so my thanks to you again in advance.

I am looking forward to it!

NEW:  Follow me on Twitter @WC1MA, and Facebook handle WC1MA

Regards and 73,

Michael P. Neilsen, W1MPN
State RACES Officer (Acting);
Member of the MEMT;
Member of the MA State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC), and Policies and Programs subcommittee;
Chairperson, Amateur Radio Working Group
New Office Answering Service: 978.293.7858
******************************************************************

Rob Macedo, KD1CY writes:

The following is a special announcement from Jennifer Garrett at the Boston Museum of Science on a free presentation on Extreme Weather that will be held at the Museum. The announcement is listed below for any interested people and has been posted on the wx1box.org web site:

“Natural disasters and extreme weather are real events that many people don’t think about until it’s too late.” –Donna Franklin, NOAA’s Lightning Safety Program Lead

On Wednesday, February 1, the Museum of Science will host CNN Meteorologist Bonnie Schneider for the program Extreme Weather, part of the Museum’s Adult Offerings.

From epic floods to historical drought, unrelenting summer heat to arctic blasts of frigid air, 2011 was a year of extremes. Unfortunately, it was also a year of death and destruction: 552 people died in tornadoes, tying 2011 with 1936 as the deadliest year on record. With “a total of twelve weather and climate disasters,” according to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “each causing $1 billion or more in damages,” one of the most expensive.

As a Meteorologist on CNN and HLN, Bonnie Schneider reports on these natural disasters, explaining when they’re likely to strike, and telling viewers how to respond when they do. She has interviewed experts from a wide variety of agencies – including FEMA and NOAA – to provide a comprehensive understanding of the science behind weather patterns and the latest thinking on how to act in dangerous conditions. She’ll share actual survivor stories, reminding us that disaster can strike at any time, changing your life forever.

You can register to attend this FREE program at the following link: http://extremeweather.eventbrite.com/

Best,

Jennifer Garrett
Lectures and Special Programs
Museum of Science, Boston

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
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://www.wx1box.org

Hello all stations:

I have an important update to our meeting on the 25th.  Since I made the announcement, over 70 people have confirmed their attendance.  This caused a small crisis with MEMA in that there would not be enough room at the original venue, the SEOC, for all to attend.  MEMA suggested to me that folks be turned away until we got down to the 50 person limit.  Instead, I found another venue so that our people can come together to learn about the changes and talk about it.

I have been fortunate to secure another facility from a generous friend in private industry, which is prepared to welcome as many members as may want to come out.  This development has the added advantage of attracting more of our members from the western part of the state to join us.  Our original attendees should also find that little additional time would have to be built into their trips, except those coming from locations near to Framingham.

No change to the date (2/25) and time (1000).

The new location is Atlas Box and Crating Company, Inc., 223 Worcester Providence Turnpike, Sutton, MA 01590.  The road is also known as MA route 146.  For most folks, I90 (Mass Pike) to Exit 10A (US20/MA 146), then southbound MA 146 to EXIT 7 (Central Turnpike) for a U-Turn to rejoin MA 146 north.  Plant entrance is at bottom of the ramp to the right.  DO NOT REENTER HIGHWAY.  Bear left at the fork in the entrance road to park.

Their website is http://www.atlasbox.net, but no directions.  Use http://maps.google.com instead to plan your trip.

As this is also a secure facility, please be so kind as to RSVP me again at w1mpn@arrl.net so I know you got this change.  Your courtesy in the last round helped avert a major crisis, so my thanks to you again in advance.

I am looking forward to it!

NEW:  Follow me on Twitter @WC1MA, and Facebook handle WC1MA

Regards and 73,

Michael P. Neilsen, W1MPN
State RACES Officer (Acting);
Member of the MEMT;
Member of the MA State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC), and Policies and Programs subcommittee;
Chairperson, Amateur Radio Working Group
New Office Answering Service: 978.293.7858
******************************************************************

Rick Maybury, WZ1B writes on CAARA List:

This Saturday, Jan. 28, we will begin the first code class. The schedule is from 9:30-1:00.

Right after the code class we will be conducting Winter Field Day. A fun time, low key contesting and a great time to develop your skills.

WINTER FIELD DAY

Not only during Field Day in June, do the bands come alive with improvised signals proving the ability to respond to emergencies. Since emergencies and natural disasters don’t always happen in the summer, during Winter Field Day, frigid winds, icy limbs and bitter cold replace the thunderstorms and blistering heat of summer. In 2007 SPAR established a Winter Field Day event and invited all Amateur Radio operators to participate. The event was repeated in 2008 and was considered a success, so it was then designated an annual event to be held the last full weekend each January. In 2007 – 2011 the event was enjoyed by many, but it is time to issue the invitation for the Sixth Annual SPAR Winter Field Day!

The 2012 Winter Field Day will be held from 1700 UTC (12:00 noon EST) Saturday January 28, 2012 through 1700 UTC (12:00 noon EST) Sunday January 29, 2012. The object of the event is familiar to most Amateur Radio operators: set up emergency-style communications and make as many contacts as possible during the 24 hour period. The rules encourage as many contacts on as many bands and modes as possible, because during a real emergency, the most important factor is the ability to communicate, regardless of band, mode or distance.

Let me know if you plan on attending either event. Hope to see you there.

Volunteer registration for the 2012 Boston Marathon is now open! The Marathon will be held on Monday April 16th.

Radio operators are needed to provide safety communications and to assist the Red Cross. Assignments are available in Hopkinton, along the route, and in downtown Boston. The marathon coordinators have told us there will be another couple of First Aid stations on the course this year, and another full medical station as well. This means they really need as many operators as possible this year.

To volunteer, go to the Marathon Amateur Radio Communications website and follow the instructions to register for the radio team. Please do not sign up directly on the BAA’s volunteer website, your information will be sent to the BAA from the Marathon Amateur Radio Communications website when you register there.

–Thanks, Western MA ARRL