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Licensing Education & Training

Cape Ann (MA) Amateur Radio Association Technician In A Day Session, February 25, 2023

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CAARA logo

Our Technician In A Day Session is a study course.  The course allows you to become licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.

You should obtain a copy of the ARRL Technician Class License Manual.  You may purchase this book at Ham Radio Outlet or any other amateur radio related store.

You should read the book.  The information contained therein will allow you to answer questions on a 35 question test for obtaining your Technician License.

There are videos on Youtube at W4EEY that explain the theory and cover the questions to enhance your knowledge.   You may also take practice exams at hamstudy.org for comprehension.

TECH IN A DAY CLASSROOM SESSION

  1. You should apply and obtain a FCC Registration Number at: https://apps.fcc.gov/coresWeb/publicHome.do
  2. You will be charged a slight fee for this course. Normally, $15.00 for the Examination and $10.00 for materials, snacks and drinks which will be provided for the session.
  3. The Tech In A Day Session will be almost a full day session (8 am to 5pm)
  4. The first Study Session begins at 9:00am for 45 minutes and you will be given a 15 minute break before the next session begins at 10 am.
  5. Three study sessions will be held before a lunch break (approximately 11:45am-1:00pm)
  6. There will be three more study sessions in the afternoon to run to 4:45 pm.
  7. Testing will begin approximately at 5:00 pm.

You will be administered an examination of 35 questions of which you must score at least 26 out of 35 or better to PASS.

Upon completion and passing of your examination you will be handed a Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination) (CSCE Form).

Your call sign should be process in 10-12  business days.

If you would like more information, you may email us at caarave@caara.net or Telephone (978) 504-9112 for more information.

Flea markets & Conventions

Whitman ARC Winterfest, January 21, 2023 (NEW VENUE)

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Whitman ARC logoThe Whitman Amateur Radio Club will hold its annual Winterfest on January 21, 2023 from 9 AM until 1 PM at the Knights of Columbus Hall, Route 18, in Whitman. A VE testing session for Tech, General, and Amateur Extra will be conducted at the event. Raffle Prizes include four high power HTs and gift certificates.

Admission is $5; tables cost $15. Checks for tables can be mailed to:

Whitman Amateur Radio Club
PO Box 48
Whitman MA 02382

For vendor information, call: 781-523-5010 or visit http://www.wa1npo.org/WF/2023Winterfest_hasPayPal.html.

Allen, WA1BEE, writes on January 18, 2023:
 
NOTICE
 

Change of location of the Whitman WinterFest 2023

 

Was in contact with Ross, W1EKG, today. Due to an unexpected situation, a move had to be made.
 
The location is the Tri-Town Masonic lodge, 38 Franklin Street ( RT27 ), East Bridgewater, MA, 02333
 
Foxhunting / Operating

Fox Hunting of a Different Kind

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Mike Cormier, K1MJC, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list:

This morning, as I often do, when, listening to various things with my RTL-SDR, I sometimes go to the “SondeHub Tracker” website to see if there are any weather balloons I might be able to hear using my RTL-SDR.

This morning, I was surprised to see a balloon tracking north eastward over Millis, MA, and heading directly overhead where I live in Waltham MA.

I decided to zoom in on it, and follow it, and to my surprise, it had it landing somewhere in Lexington MA.

As it descended and got closer to the ground, I zoomed in on that area and realized it was just a short drive from where I lived. So I decided to get my 70 cm meter Yagi, jump in the car and head in that direction more precisely Pretty close to the location. It predicted it would be on the ground.

To my surprise, when I got in the area, I could hear the Radio-Sonde loud and clear, and I proceeded to an address that I had put in my GPS, got out of the car with the Yagi in one corner of the parking lot, (it was the horseshoe type, which will go behind the building and come out to the street on the other side of the property) and discovered that it was more towards the street.

Looking in the trees and over the roof of the building, I couldn’t see it, but the signal was strong. Having gotten that far and figuring it could be on the flat roof of the building and it being cold and drizzly outside I decided to head home.

To my surprise, on the way out of the driveway, what do I see? An orange parachute laying across the lane, I immediately jumped out of the car, went around to the front of the building, and there hanging on a string was the Radio-Sonde. Seeing nobody was around, I tugged the Radio-Sonde down out of the bush, wrapped it up and jumped in my car. (I hope nobody will be upset with me for grabbing the Radio-Sonde).

Radio-sonde
Radio-sonde

After I got in the car, I noticed it was an on off switch, turned it off, read the label, and this particular Radio-Sonde requests that you do not send it back to the national weather service.

Well, I have a parachute and Radio-Sonde what to do with it? I don’t know, perhaps, just keep it as a souvenir, and toss the plastic parachute, which I cannot seem to find any kind of use for.

All in all, a fun and interesting new kind of hunt for me!

73 Mike K1MJC

Clubs

KB1OIQ: “Andy’s Ham Radio Linux” at North Shore Radio Association Meeting, January 17, 2023

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North Shore Radio Association logoEric Horwitz, KA1NCF, writes on the North Shore Radio Association mailing list:

This month’s meeting is on Tuesday! Speaker will be in house this month.

Andy (KB1OIQ) Stewart will talk about a software collection which he created called “Andy’s Ham Radio Linux.” It is based on Ubuntu 22.04 with additional software specific to ham radio. There have been over 100,000 downloads of this software since 2011. Andy’s talk will be an overview of the available software, where to get it, installation hints, etc. No previous knowledge of Linux is required to enjoy this talk.

Andy is an Amateur Extra licensee who has enjoyed this fine hobby since 2007. Related interests include repair of antique radios circa 1930s/1940s, hacking uBITX, Arduino code, the M17 project, and kit building. Andy is a former president of PART of Westford. By day, Andy is a digital logic verification engineer living in simulated reality.

Hope to see you all at the meeting.

Clubs

W1BTR: “Minecraft Ham Radio Mods” at PART of Westford Hybrid Meeting, January 17, 2023

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

The January PART of Westford meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, 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.

Topic: PART has been awarded a grant of $22K by the ARRL Foundation for a project headed by PART member Lucas, W1BTR, to incorporate ham radio into the popular online game Minecraft. At the January meeting we’ll be showing the presentation on this project given to the ARRL HQ staff last week, and we’ll explain what the project is, how it will be run, what it means for the growth of ham radio, and how it affects PART. If time permits, we also have a presentation on the 2023 Volunteers on the Air event.

Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items (canned soups, stews, etc.) for donation to the Westford Food Pantry.

See you on Tuesday!

George, K1IG
President, PART of Westford
wb1gof.org

[To request conference login information, contact George Allison, K1IG, at k1ig -at- arrl -dot- net]
Public Service

Boston Marathon 2023 Looking for Ham Radio Volunteers

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BAA MarathonFrom K1USN Happenings, January 12, 2023:

Planning is well underway for the 2023 Boston Marathon! The BAA opened volunteer registration today and it will close on Friday, February 10, 2023. Returning volunteers should have received an email from the BAA with details about how to register.

New volunteers can sign up via http://register.hamradioboston.org/. We have also provided a step by step guide on how to select Amateur Radio volunteer positions during the registration process:  <https://hamradioboston.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/44002389087-2023-volunteer-registration-step-by-step-guide>.

Operating

Massachusetts Volunteers On The Air, W1AW/1 Sign Up

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Volunteer On The Air logoThis year, the ARRL is honoring volunteers with its Volunteers On The Air (VOTA) operating event. The event starts January 1 and ends December 31, 2023

Twice a year, for one week, each state will be activated as W1AW/1 (for call area 1 Massachusetts, for example). To make this happen, we need ops to get Massachusetts on the air.

Would you like to be an W1AW/1 activator for the first session this spring? The first MA session is Wednesday, April 12 through Tuesday, April 18.

Would you like to know more? Contact Larry, W1AST, at W1AST@arrl.net.

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net – Monday January 9th 2023 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater System

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Hello to all…

The January Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday January 9th, 2023 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 this evening as we kickoff 2023.

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

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Massachusetts RACES Nets – Monday 1/9/23 for HF, Region 2D VHF, NBEMS & Winlink – Times and Details Below

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Don Rolph-AB1PH, Norfolk County 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 Jan 2023, since the first Monday Jan 2 is a state holiday, the RACES nets will be held on Mon Jan 9.
The Races nets will be held on Mon Jan 9 at:

********************************************************************************
The HF net will start at 6:45 PM ET: using the following frequency plan:
We will start at 3930 KHz moving up to 3955 KHz until there is a clear frequency,
Marc Stern WA1R will be net control.
*********************************************************************************
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.

Don Rolph using WA1PLE will be net control.
********************************************************************************
HF NBEMS net:
7:00 PM ET
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 Rolph AB1PH will be net control.
*********************************************************************************
Winlink Net:
Between 0600 ET on Mon Jan 9 and 2400 ET on Jan 9, please send a Winlink checkin form to Bryan Marcotte KF1D

We look forward to you checking in!

—

73,
AB1PH
Don Rolph

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Eastern Massachusetts Hospital Net – Saturday 1/7/23 at 1000 AM ET

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John O’Neill-K1JRO EMA ARES – DEC Healthcare Liaison writes:

Hello Everyone,

Net Control for the January 2023 Eastern MA Hospital Net scheduled for Saturday 1/7/23 at 10 AM will be Nicholas Rondeau from the Mansfield Emergency Management Agency. The net will commence at the usual time of 10AM using the following repeaters in the order listed. 

1. W.Bridgewater 146.775 DCS 244
2. Attleboro 147.195 Tone 127.3 (Sturdy Memorial Hospital)
3. Dartmouth 147.000 Tone 67.0
4. Sharon 146.865 Tone 103.5 

We will not be conducting a DMR test this month. 

The Net will then return to the W.Bridgewater Repeater for final comments and Net closing

NET Protocol: Please wait for Net Control to ask for Check-ins. When asked to check in please use the standard net check-in procedure which is:  Here is.., un-key, wait 3 seconds to check for doubling, then give your or your facilities call sign, your first name, and your facility’s name. 

We extend an invitation to any health care facility or EOC of any city or town that is served by one of the participating hospitals to join the Net. We also extend an invitation to any RACES or ARES member to check in during the NET. 

We are always looking for groups or organizations to try their hand at Net Control duties. If you are interested in giving Net Control a try please let us know. We can be reached by sending an email to ssharg@outlook.com. The goal is to rotate Net Control practice and the experience among as many individuals and groups as possible.

South Shore Hospital Amateur Radio Group is seeking licensed Amateur Radio Operators to join our group. For information on joining us please contact us at ssharg@outlook.com.

We thank the repeater trustees for their continued generosity in allowing us to conduct the monthly nets and the use of their systems in an actual event. The following list of repeaters is available for our use. Only a few systems are used each month with the selection of those used made by Net Control for that month. More systems are being added to the list on a regular basis. 

Analog Repeaters
Attleboro 147.195 tone 127.3 (Sturdy Memorial Hospital)
Belmont 145.430 tone 146.2
Boston 145.230 tone encode 88.5 tone decode 100.0
Bridgewater 147.180 tone 67.0
Danvers 145.47 tone 136.5
Dartmouth 147.000 tone 67.0  
Fall River 146.805. tone 67.0
Falmouth 147.375 tone 110.9
Mansfield EMA 446.925 tone 100.0
Mansfield 147.015 tone 67.0
Marshfield 145.390 tone 67.0
Norwood 147.210 tone 100.00
Plymouth 146.685 tone 131.8
Salem 146.88 tone 118.8
Sharon 146.865 tone 103.5
Weymouth 147.345 tone 110.9 (South Shore Hospital)
W. Bridgewater 146.775 DCS 244
Wrentham 147.09 tone 146.2

Digital (DMR) Repeaters.

We have the ability to utilize a TalkGroup on some of the repeaters that are part of the NEDECN Network. Boston, Hingham, Bourne, Dennis, Walpole, and Martha’s Vineyard.

We look forward to hearing you all on the Net. 

Respectfully,

John O’Neill K1JRO
President, South Shore Health Amateur Radio Group
EMA ARES – DEC Healthcare Liaison

Operating

KM1CC On the Air for 120th Anniversary of Marconi’s Transatlantic Message

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KM1CC towers
Built 1901- Marconi’s South Wellfleet Wireless Station, Wellfleet MA USA Grid FN51
(second set of towers shown in this picture, taken about 1910)

Station KM1CC will be on the air on January 18, 2023 from 1800 UTC – 2300 UTC.  

Wednesday January 18, 2023 marks the 120th anniversary of Marconi’s first transatlantic message from the USA to the UK. KM1CC will be on the air to commemorate this achievement.

“We plan to operate HF 20 M, 40 M, and other bands as conditions allow. Check dxsummit.fi for frequencies.”

The Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club is a special event club.  The club has several on the air events a year to keep the accomplishments and story of Marconi and his South Wellfleet Wireless Station alive.  This station is listed as a National Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places (1975) and is now part of Cape Cod National Seashore, a unit of the National Park Service.   When possible, KM1CC sets up a temporary radio station inside the park. 

Please follow us on our Facebook page:   https://www.facebook.com/KM1CC/ .

Flea markets & Conventions

Algonquin ARC Flea Market, Marlborough, February 18, 2023

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AARC logoThe Algonquin Amateur Radio Club will hold its Marlborough Flea Market on February 18, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the 1Lt Charles W. Whitcomb School, 25 Union St., Marlborough, MA. Talk-in is on N1EM/R 446.675 – (PL 88.5). Any COVID-related updates will be carried on the AARC website at http://n1em.org.

A VE session will be held beginning at 9:00 AM. General admission is $5. Vendor tables are $15 before February 10, 2023, or $20 at the door if space is available. Each table includes one admission.

For more information, email fleamarket@n1em.org or visit https://www.qsl.net/n1em/AARC_Flea_Market_Flyer_2023.pdf.

Operating

Special “Ad-Hoc” 6 Meter Net, January 4, 2023

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Gene Balinski,  K1NR, writes:

From: GENE BALINSKI
Date: January 4, 2023 at 10:38:21 AM EST
Subject: Special Announcement 6M AM TONIGHT 01/04/2023

ALCON,

There will be a special “ad-hoc” 6m AM net tonight

Please join us at 9:30 PM (right after John Flood’s Swap Net the Waltham 2M repeater) on 50.400.

All classes of gear are welcome.

Hope to see you there.

Again, 9:30 PM EST Wednesday 01/04/2023 (02:30AM Thursday GMT) on 50.400 MHz

73,

K1NR

PS Be sure to let the old tube gear warm up and stabilize : – )

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Happy New Year! – Massachusetts RACES & Eastern Massachusetts ARES Nets Will Be on Monday 1/9/23 Due to New Year’s Day Holiday Observed on Monday 1/2/23

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Hello to all…

Happy New Year to all and thanks for all you do for RACES/ARES/SKYWARN in our commonwealth. A reminder that Monday 1/2/23 will be the observed state holiday for New Year’s Day for 2023 so the Massachusetts RACES and Eastern Massachusetts ARES Nets will be held on the second Monday of the month due to the holiday on Monday 1/9/23. We hope everyone enjoys the New Year holiday and will catch everyone on next week’s nets. Thanks to all for their support!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator & SKYWARN Coordinator

Clubs

Boston ARC Formalizes Its Relationship With Area Makerspace

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Boston ARC logoBoston Amateur Radio Club (BARC) is moving forward with its affiliation plans with the Artisan’s Asylum (A2) makerspace. At its October 2022 general meeting, the BARC membership voted to approve the plan. The step marks a turning point for the thirty-three-year-old club which has been without an official home for a long time.

In 2022, Artisan’s Asylum relocated from offices in Somerville to 96 Holton Street in Boston. According to its website, the popular makerspace “is a non-profit […] devoted to the teaching, learning and practice of fabrication.” It offers classes on a wide range of skills and topics to the general public.

“As you know, we have been looking for a space to hold meetings, conduct testing, and eventually hold license classes,” writes Boston ARC President Brendan Baldonado, NW1S. “Getting a regular meeting space that also allows us to hold events, and host antenna and project builds will help grow the club.

“They (A2) are a maker/hackerspace that includes a wood shop, 3D printers and other heavy machinery.”

Prior to BARC’s decision to affiliate with Artisan’s Asylum, the makerspace was working to develop an RF station, mostly for testing and building other maker projects to bridge the gap between ham radio and DIYers. A2 applied for, and was awarded funding this past year from the Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) to establish an amateur station to “create, build, test and use amateur radio in various ways.”

Artisan’s Asylum currently counts among its ranks several licensed hams, and more are interested in obtaining their tickets.
“A2 is excited to get a club with our experience under their roof and have worked hard to keep the costs of renting a space very low for our club,” Baldonado says.

One important component of the collaboration involves BARC sponsoring courses. A2’s other members currently offer classes to the general public on such wide-ranging topics as woodworking and bicycle repair. BARC hopes to expand upon A2’s class offerings with courses on Amateur Radio-related topics like digital communications and kit construction. BARC is currently polling its membership to find interested individuals who will step forward and volunteer to instruct.

“There is a world of possibility in these spaces,” says Mindy Hull, KM1NDY. She and Greg Kenley, AC1NY, are passholders who have full access to the building and the club space. Soon, additional members will be added as passholders with unlimited access. In the long term, the club hopes to sort out access issues for its entire membership.

Hull notes that the A2 facility is enjoying tremendous popularity. “There are no more suites available at the A2. All suites are now on a waiting list.” She adds, “We got ours just in time.”

[December 30, 2022 Update: “Joe Chapman, NV1W, and Brendan NW1S, installed an off-center dipole and coax down into the BARC studio. We have a Yaesu FT-847 that will remain at the club station along with a power supply. There is also a Kenwood for UHF/VHF. Mary Sullaway, NN1C, installed the copper grounding. AC1NY will bring another folding table for the studio, along with a Lenovo laptop and Samsung monitor. He also plans to construct a WFVIEW remote transceiver setup for the studio as well as digital protocols station. We are almost operational!” -AC1NY.]
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Organization

ARRL Handbook 100th Edition Includes Prominent New England Amateurs Among Its Contributors

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

ARRL Handbook 100th editionFrom nediv.arrl.org:

Dave Tessitore, K1DT, President of the Providence Radio Association (W1OP) writes in a December 27 email:

“…Under our Christmas tree, from my XYL, was the hot-off-the-press 100th Edition ARRL Handbook.  After our family and friends had all gone home, I sat at my desk and cracked it open.

“There on the title page, under the impressive words, One-Hundredth Edition, is the list of Contributors.  Among them are two PRA Members:  Frank Donovan, W3LPL and Rick Rosen, K1DS.  What an honor to have these two giants in their fields as members of our club!

“I next turned to the middle of the Handbook, to the full-color 100 edition retrospective, and there is a 2-page interview with friend and former PRA member Skip Youngberg, K1NKR, who recently spoke at our 100th anniversary dinner!

“What other radio club has three members contributing to the definitive publication on Amateur Radio?

“But wait, make that four members, for let us not forget our Secretary Domenic Mallozzi, N1DM, who contributed to both the 1986 and 1999 Handbooks!

“Congratulations to Frank, Rick, Skip, and Dom! You make us Proud.”

Well, Dom, N1DM (who will be speaking at the Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s (NVARC) January meeting) is a member of Marlborough’s Algonquin Amateur Radio Club (AARC).  So that makes two AARC members in the 100th Handbook.

And as far as NVARC is concerned, Phil Erickson, W1PJE, is listed on the title page as a contributor and an article by Joe Dzekevich, K1YOW, is in the Handbook’s supplemental files.  That’s three for NVARC.

Also on the local front, Doug Grant, K1DG, has a title page listing and copious acknowledgements throughout the book.  Club members remember Doug from WRTC2014 and probably a few talks at meetings over the years.  Plus, Jim Idelson, K1IR, and Bob Clarke, N1RC, (whose affiliations are unknown to me) have Handbook title page listings.

It seems like one-land is well represented.

Background (courtesy Skip, K1NKR):

Last Spring, Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, asked me about the status of my QST and Handbook collection.  The League was putting together the 100th edition of the ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications and was looking to contact a collector.  Fred subsequently put me in contact through League Headquarters with Mark Derks (unlicensed then, now KC1RVQ), a member of the publications staff.  Mark and I exchanged phone calls in mid-April, then he and a photographer came over from Newington and visited my shack to conduct an interview.  The result in the hardcover version of the Handbook was a sixteen-page color section of radio history which included two pages devoted to the interview.

The whole exercise was quite enjoyable, with the only difficulty being that I was under a nondisclosure agreement until the Handbook came out.  I had a hard time keeping the secret between April and October!

The K1NKR collection contains every issue of the League’s monthly “QST” magazine back to 1915 (all library-style hardbound) and all but one year of the Handbook.

Technically, this year’s Handbook edition is the hundredth, not the centennial.  The first Handbook edition was published in 1926.  The years 1927 and 1928 actually had two numbered editions published per year.

As you know, the Handbook is a massive, almost 1300-page encyclopedia of electronics and communications technology that weighs in at 6.2 pounds—a pretty good pennies-per-page investment even if you only spring for a Handbook “every hundred years or so.”  And if you do, go for the hardcopy version.

73 all, and the best of the New Year,

Skip