Reminder: October 7th, 2024 MEMA RACES/ACS Communications Test Net
and, as such, will be the next RACES/ACS/Preparedness Net night.
Due to the news reports and reports from operators out of the North Carolina area and other
a field organization of the National Association for Amateur Radio®
and, as such, will be the next RACES/ACS/Preparedness Net night.
Due to the news reports and reports from operators out of the North Carolina area and other
Joseph Fratto-K1UN – FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License writes:
The combined Divisions 5 / 12 Radio Net was called on the Roslindale repeater 6 OCT 24 at 1015 hrs.
Check Ins: Radio Wilmington
Radio Roslindale
Vessel 323088
Mobile 5F
Mobile 5G
Net Control: Radio Waltham NCS
Traffic: Stations were able to radio check their equipment. I spoke to the Comms people in D7.
D7 Florida area will be implementing their Emergency Communications Nets starting on
this Tuesday. Another hurricane will be hitting Florida on Wednesday. They have noticed
how we have had good luck using Ham radio assets in D1N. They will in addition to USCG
Auxiliary channels be using the Florida SARNET a robust Amateur Radio Network that
covers their whole state. The D7 area Auxiliary has one high site Auxiliary repeater in
Stuart Florida. This is a wide area coverage repeater.
In addition D7 will be utilizing the SHARES network. DHS has not activated the SHARES
net for Hurricane helene. D1N HF stations will be able to assist D7 on their 14 meg nets.
Any SHARES station is authorized to activate a SHARES net when needed. The SHARES
ALE network will also be in play on Tuesday.
D1N stations are reminded to continue to monitor the 5 Mhz 60 meter channels for any
distress calls. 5 Mhz is clearly heard in New England during the evenings.
The Auxiliary net is going strong on the MMRA network. We had 17 stations checked in today.
Anyone using a police scanner radio can tune us in on 146.82 or 146.69 Mhz to hear the net.
Again we are asking all members to consider getting their Amateur Radio License to be able
to participate.
Submitted: Joseph Fratto
FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License
The Sunday morning Divisions 5 / 12 Combined Radio net was held on Roslindale repeater – 29 SEP 2024 at 1015 hrs.
Check Ins: Radio Wilmington
Radio Roslindale
Vessel 323088
Mobile 5F
Mobile 5G
Radio Harvard
Net control: Radio Waltham NCS
Traffic: Radio tests were conducted. Flotilla elections are coming up. Hurricane
Helena is threatening the Southeast coast of the country. The Florida
Governor has reported that up to 1.2 million homes and businesses are
without power.
The Hurricane Net on 7.268Mhz was very busy handling emergency
requests and health and welfare radio traffic. HF assets are reminded
If the USCG is quiet and the Auxiliary is not needed please join in on
the Hurricane Net, Salvation Army Net (SATERN) or the Red Cross
activated nets.
Even though you reside in New England, HF covers the world and you
will be appreciated for helping these nets handle and move traffic. As a
reminder during Hurricane Katrina the SATERN radio Hams handled
over 50,000 Health and Welfare messages. A number of these messages
were for people in need of emergency rescues. I counted over 100 calls
for rescue that came to the SHARES HF network.
We operate a valuable resource that can be of real assistance in times of
emergency. At the least perform increased monitoring of the 5 Mhz 60M
channels for emergency calls.
The Auxiliary Net is held on the MMRA Minuteman Repeater Association
and is going well. We had 17 check ins this morning. The Auxiliary Net
starts at 1100 hrs every Sunday morning. Scanner radios can receive the
Net on 146.82 or 146.67 Mhz. Tune in or get your Ham Radio Technician
license and join us. A question came up on the Net as to joining RACES,
the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. RACES is a federally spon-
sored and authorized Ham radio Network. RACES is locally managed by
Emergency Management Director of a city or town.
When and if the president of the United States were to impose the War
Powers Act, Amateur Radio or Ham radio as we know it would be shut
down. The only Ham radio stations allowed to operate and transmit would
be RACES stations. RACES stations have to be designated and authorized
by EM Agencies for Official Business Only. Federal stations such as the
Auxiliary would continue to operate as usual for official business.
Submitted: Joseph Fratto
FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License
Hello to all…
The October Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday October 7th, 2024 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:
https://mmra.org/repeaters/repeater_linking.html (Click the ARES box to see the repeaters and other systems linked)
We look forward to your participation and remember, we are always looking for Net Controls to run the ARES Net. We will have several announcements for the net including training announcements in the areas of NBEMS (Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System), NTS training and the date for the Eastern Massachusetts ARES Simulated Emergency Test (SET).
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
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – https://twitter.com/wx1box
Subscribe on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@wx1box-nwsboston-amateur-radio
Don Rolph, AB1PH, Walpole area ARES Emergency Coordinator writes:
The MEMA RACES nets are held on the first Monday of the month, unless the first Monday is a holiday, when it is delayed one week, For Oct 2024, the MEMA RACES nets will be held on Mon Oct 7 at:
********************************************************************************
80 meter Voice net
No 80 meter voice net this month: No NCS.
*********************************************************************************
Region 2D VHF net:
7:30 PM ET VHF net on 146.865 MHz PL 103.5 (Sharon Repeater)
We will have a general call up of any RACES, ARES, or other interested stations. If there is time, we will have a simplex test.
Jim WJ1R will be net control.
********************************************************************************
HF 80 meters NBEMS net:
Dial Frequency: 3584.5 MHx
Center Frequency: 1500 Hz
Initial mode: THOR22
We will have checkins, followed by an ICS-213 format message using FLMSG.
Don AB1PH will be net control
*********************************************************************************
Winlink Net:
Bryan Marcotte KF1D will be net control.
Send a winlink checkin form to KF1D, copy AB1PH, between 0600 Monday Oct 7 and 2400 Monday Oct 7.
We look forward to you checking in!
—
73,
AB1PH
Don Rolph
Ben Jackson, N1WBV, writes on the Bristol Co. Radio Association mailing list:
If you have ever thought about becoming involved with AREDN (https://www.arednmesh.org/) but also wondered “Well it sounds interesting, but who would I communicate with around the South Coastal MA Area?” I am happy to report that I have established an outdoor node just a touch N/NNE of UMass in FN41lp.
What is AREDN? AREDN is the Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network which provides a way for Amateur Radio operators to create high-speed ad-hoc data networks for use in emergency and service-oriented communications. This is often done via consumer or “pro-sumer” 802.11 wireless networking gear running custom software. Currently, there are mesh networks in Rhode Island and they reach as far as Tiverton, and there is an emerging effort on Cape Cod.
As I am always over engineering things I have also opted to make my node 100% solar powered and I’ve also put it up at 20ft AGL. Right now, I am putting it in “open Beta” and I want to let people know about it, however, I will expect it to randomly go down for testing as I am still hammering out bugs.
So if you have a 5GHz directional WiFi Access Point, please point it my way on Channel 149 of your 5GHz dial; and if you WANT to grab a 5GHz directional access WiFi Access Point, (especially if you have a tower!) please just let me know and I would be happy to point you in the right direction. I am also working out a full Bill of Materials (BOM) for what I assembled my node for.
73
Ben, N1WBV
Don Rolph, AB1PH writes:
We will be holding a Zoom session to help people get configured with FLDIGI:
Don Rolph is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: FLDIGI Class
Time: Oct 10, 2024 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86397317457?pwd=NFMfTJun4Du17Hba3uUhB96wImzQva.1
Meeting ID: 863 9731 7457
Passcode: 854541
—
In subsequent weeks we will have Zoom + on-air training for NBEMS and how to interact with a digital traffic net. Please stay tuned for announcements.
Billerica ARS President Doug Bruce, N1WRN, writes:
We are pleased to announce that Terry Dennison, K9TAD, will be our Guest Speaker via Zoom on Wednesday Night, October 2, 2024. Terry will give a talk on Sunspot and Radio Propagation.
Here are some biographical details about Terry:
We will announce the link to join the Zoom meeting before the meeting, but 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.
I am looking forward to “seeing” many of you there on Wednesday 10/2 at 1900.
Welcome to the September 2024 EMA Section Update! I am publishing this update to the EMA Section and NE Division websites. The email-blast-to-all-section-members function is still down, a casualty of the cyber-attack on ARRL HQ; there is currently no ETA. I’m publishing the Update on the EMA website and sending it to all the clubs I have email addresses for, with a request to distribute it widely. Please spread the word.
It’s now officially Autumn. That means the population of our Cape Cod communities has reverted to mostly normal. Many businesses have shuttered for the season, with many more planning their last hurrah for shortly after Columbus Day. This is by far my favorite season, as the temperatures moderate, the traffic calms down, the leaves turn, and things quiet down. And I’ll take my beverages without pumpkin spice, thank you very much!
* Election for New England Division Director
Nominations are now closed for ARRL New England Division Director and Vice Director. Incumbent Vice Director Phil Temples K9HI was the only person to submit nominating paperwork for Vice Director, so he was declared elected for the next three-year term. Incumbent Director Fred Kemmerer AB1OC faces Director Emeritus Tom Frenaye K1KI in the upcoming election for Director, New England Division. Emails have already been sent to all ARRL members in the Division with instructions on how to vote. Whomever your choice is, I strongly encourage you to vote in this very important election!
* HamXpo Was a Huge Success!!
In my not-so-humble opinion, HamXposition 2024, held this past August 22-25, was an unmitigated, smashing success. The vendor area was full to bursting, the list of seminars was broader and deeper than what one finds at HamVention (Dayton), and I believe a truly great time was had by all who attended. Please forward your HamXpo stories to me for inclusion in the next Section Update. The HamXposition website, https://hamxposition.org has thousands of photos, if you want to revisit the fun.
I’m already looking forward to next year!! Please mark your calendars for August 21-24, 2025, the dates for next year’s event.
* Boston Area GMRS Club Seeks New Members
Gregg Lebovitz, KD1MU, writes on the Boston ARC mailing list:
I wanted to let fellow GMRS licensees know that we are now taking memberships for the Boston Area GMRS Club.
The club is a not-for-profit 501c(3) corporation and focuses on two main areas 1) technology, operator proficiency, and emergency communications education and 2) building a GMRS infrastructure to aid agencies in their emergency communications efforts.
More details at https://ema.arrl.org/2024/09/19/boston-area-gmrs-club/
* Successful Walpole EMA/CERT Amateur Radio Field Exercise Held on Sep 21, 2024
On Sat. Sept 21, the Walpole Emergency Management Agency and Community Emergency Response Team sponsored an amateur radio field exercise. Operating portable and despite the rain, nine stations were deployed, eight at Adam’s Farm in Walpole and one on High Rock in Foxboro. Full details at
* Northeastern Wireless Club “Yagi Build” a “Fantastic Success”
Jonah Lefkoff writes on the Northeastern Wireless mailing list:
The Northeastern Wireless Club held a workshop on building tape measure yagi antennas that was a fantastic success. Attendees built many awesome antennas, and learned a bit about impedance matching and soldering along the way. Next step: use these new antennas in a fox hunt around campus. Full details at https://ema.arrl.org/2024/09/12/northeastern-wireless-club-yagi-build-a-fantastic-success/
* NTS Traffic Handling Training Session, October 14, 2024
Mark your calendars! Interested in NTS and Traffic Handling? Join us Monday, October 14 at 7:00 PM via Zoom. This training will incorporate videos and open discussion to get you started in an exciting aspect of the hobby that’s been around for over 100 years! Full details at https://ema.arrl.org/2024/09/09/nts-traffic-handling-training-session-october-14-2024/
* Recruiting Volunteer Webmaster(s) for the EMA Website
Phil, K9HI has done a fantastic job of maintaining the https://ema.arrl.,org website. I (still) need to recruit some backup resources. If you have basic skills with WordPress and can help maintain the website – mostly posting new articles at the suggestion of me and others – please contact me at n1ilz@arrl.org. You’ll be helping me – and the League – immensely!
* Recruiting a New Section Youth Coordinator
Last month I reported that our Section Youth Coordinator, Paul K1YUB, had stepped down from his position. I’m even more sad to report that Paul is now a Silent Key. I need to fill this important position on the EMA Section Staff. The SYC requirement and job description is at https://www.arrl.org/section-youth-coordinator If you are interested in this volunteer position, please contact me at n1ilz@arrl.org – I’ll appreciate it greatly!
* N1ILZ for a Final
Stay safe and warm out there! Autumn is here, the traffic is (mostly) calming down, and the weather forecasters are predicting – well, who listens to those crazy long-term weather forecasters anyway? Go pick some apples, go peep at some leaves, and enjoy all that a New England Autumn has to offer! And get those outdoor antenna projects done before the snow starts flying fierce and it’s too cold to go out (proving a great excuse to stay by the space-heater – I mean linear amplifier – and make some QSOs.
Can you write a paragraph or two about what you’re up to, so I can publish it in the Section Update? Let me know via email at n1ilz@arrl.org!
* For always up-to-date news, please visit the EMA Section website at http://ema.arrl.org
This Section News Update is brought to you by Assistant SM and Vice Director Phil Temples K9HI, and Section Manager Jon N1ILZ.
From The Foxboro Reporter, September 26, 2024:
A local woman found a unique skill to be helpful to the community and beyond.
Joanne McLaughlin of Foxboro, a retired teacher, has been a licensed amateur radio operator since October 2000 when the Federal Communication Commission issued her call sign, KB1FVN.
McLaughlin said she started the hobby because she saw first hand some family members who are licensed amateur radio operators. Amateur radio operators can talk across town or across the world without a phone or internet.
“It also allowed me to learn something new and share a hobby with my husband and son,” she said.
[Full story]Michael Powell, W1KU, writes on the Algonquin ARC mailing list:
I’m planning on activating Hopkinton State Park on Sunday 9/29 in the morning and early afternoon. Joe KA1GDQ is planning to join me around 10:00.
I plan to field-test some of my own radio, antenna, and power equipment. I expect to set up for SSB and FT8 on bands between 10m and 40m, depending on conditions. My plan is to set up at picnic tables in this area of the park — https://maps.app.goo.gl/zJ1fNg
If you are interesting in “activating” the park yourself, you are welcome to join and use my setup to make some QSOs under your call. An official activation requires 10 QSOs under your callsign (any band/mode but no earth-based repeaters). You can sign up for POTA online and upload your log to POTA for activation credit after the activation.
This activation is not a formal AARC event, just a chance to get out and enjoy the weather and band conditions. If you are planning to join, please send me an email. I also will keep a handheld on the N1EM repeater while I am at the park. If I need to cancel, I’ll send a follow-up email to AARClist.
To learn more about Parks on the Air, see https://parksontheair.com/.
Terry Stader-KA8SCP – Region 1 RACES Radio Officer & ARES District Emergency Coordinator for Region 1 RACES writes:
We are still looking for volunteers….
This year’s Baystate Marathon and Half Marathon race is scheduled for Sunday October 20, 2024.
Amateur Radio operators have been asked once again to support the Baystate Marathon and Half Marathon. This year the event is on Sunday, October 20th.
Our operational time period is from approximately 0700 until event completion (estimated 1400). Our assistance has been requested by Lowell Office of Emergency Management and Lowell Fire Department. The communications team will be employing Amateur Radio to provide this communications asset.
Amateur Radio will be used for:
* Accountability Net: the purpose of this net is to coordinate with a race public information booth the status of runners who are unable to complete the race for any issue to any one is seeking this information.
Race info may be found at http://baystatemarathon.com.
Course map is found at
https://www.baystatemarathon.com/course-map-description
Please contact me if you can assist or would like more information.
Please share with others that may be interested. This is a pretty laid back event and suitable for first time public event participation.
Terry
Terry M. Stader – KA8SCP
MEMA Region 1 RACES Officer
ARRL ARES Eastern MA District Emergency Coordinator for Region 1 RACES
On Sat. Sept 21, the Walpole Emergency Management Agency and Community Emergency Response Team sponsored an amateur radio field exercise. Operating portable and despite the rain, nine stations were deployed, eight at Adam’s Farm in Walpole and one on High Rock in Foxboro. Nets were held on:
And communication was also established on:
A variety of transceivers (QRP and 50 – 100 watts) were tested. A variety of antennas, both horizontal wire and vertical were deployed, and a variety of power systems, including solar, were deployed. Most stations were under the Adam’s Farm pavilion, but Leandra AF1R operated mobile HF from her car and Alan WA1AR operated from his tailgate during the peak of the rain.
A lessons-learned document is being prepared which will:
Thanks to the following amateurs who deployed stations and/or antennas:
A few of the amateurs participating over the air were:
Joseph Fratto-K1UN – FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License writes:
Check Ins: Radio Wilmington
Radio Roslindale
Vessel 323088
Mobile 5F
Mobile 5G
Net Control: Radio Waltham NCS
Traffic: Radio tests were conducted. Signals were fair / readable. Still unable to receive
Amesbury and Event repeaters at this station.
Our ADSO-CM PTT Ben Wechsler passed his General Class Amateur Radio
license and is now studying to pass the Extra exam. Our congratulations for a
job well done.
The Auxiliary Net on the MMRA Minuteman Repeater Association Amateur radio
is going strong. We had 11 check ins this morning and discussed radio mainten-
ance.
The winter months are coming quickly. This is a good time to get those radio repairs
done before the cold weather. Antennas, connections and wiring need constant
attention. Microphones needs to be checked out and coiled cords replaced if it is
necessary. Clean all contacts as needed.
We discussed cable ties this morning. Black cable ties should always be used outside
instead of white or translucent cable ties. The Black ties hold up better with the UV
Rays shining on them. Clear and white ties disintegrate very readily from UV Rays.
Be neat and always trim cable ties down to the locking mechanism to prevent some-
one from getting cut and injured from sharp edges.
Submitted: Joseph Fratto
FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License
Gregg Lebovitz, KD1MU, writes on the Boston ARC mailing list:
The Massachusetts and Rhode Island STM Report for August 2024 is available at https://ema.arrl.org/massachusetts-rhode-island-stm-report-for-august-2024/. Special notice about upcoming election for ARRL New England Division Director. Ballots go out in October. Please VOTE! Also special notice about upcoming NTS training in message handling and net participation available on Zoom, Monday, October 14 at 7 PM ET. All are welcome. Link provided. Questions to Ray Lajoie, AA1SE@arrl.net
The Boston Amateur Radio Club will have its regular General Meeting Thursday, September 19, at both Artisans Asylum and Zoom. We will begin with a period of socializing at 7:00 and the meeting proper will begin at 7:30.
Our speaker will be Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, the Director for the New England Division of the American Radio Relay League.
A Zoom link will be posted on the www.barc.org website on the day of the meeting.
73,
Joseph Chapman, NV1W
Secretary, Boston Amateur Radio Club
From NVARC Signal, VOL. XXXIII No.9:
The first scheduled meeting for the 2024-2025 year is September 19, 2024 at the Pepperell Community Center at 4 Hollis Street in Pepperell. Meeting starts at 7:30. Eliot Mayer, W1MJ, will discuss radio direction finding, also known as fox hunting. Fox hunt to follow on Saturday September 21.
Joseph Fratto-K1UN – FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License writes:
The USCG Auxiliary combined Divisions 5 / 12 radio nets were held this Sunday 15 SEP 2024.
Check Ins: Annisquam Radio
Vessel 323088
Mobile 5F
Mobile 5G
Roslindale Radio
Vessel 213226
Mobile 5W
Net Control: Waltham Radio NCS
Traffic: Radio tests were made. Discussion from DSO-CM on the recent call with National Leadership. There was talk of interfacing a device to make access to the repeater from the internet. Raytheon makes such a device. It is tied into a remote radio and receives internet access from anywhere. Charlie Rosseau, who is CC on this report from USAF MARS RADIO owns such a unit. These units are old technology and there is probably a new and inexpensive remote device available today.
Today on the MMRA “Auxiliary Net” at 1100 hrs we had a total of16 stations check into the net. A number of topics were discussed. The Auxiliary Net seems to be growing weekly.
Members who listen on their scanner radios can tune to 146.820 or 146.670 MHz to pick up the Auxiliary Net. The trend of auxiliarists becoming licensed Amateur radio operators or Hams are happening across the country. This is just another tool in the toolbox for us to work with.
Submitted: Joseph Fratto
FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License