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Foxhunting

KC1TSA Fox Deployed, Allston-Brighton Neighborhood of Boston, January 7, 2024

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

The KC1TSA fox is now deployed.

Image of KC1TSA fox

Frequency: 446.025 MHz

Location: Lower Allston/Brighton Neighborhood
the area shaded red on the map

Map of KC1TSA foxhunt area

Transmission Schedule: Every 30 seconds Sunday (1/7) from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Disclaimer: The fox is NOT on private/residential, church, or school property. Looking in these places is not endorsed and discouraged. 
                     Further, I am not providing a starting location where the signal can be heard, but I will say that the fox is operating on pretty high power (UV5R Based), and
                     driving around the area or walking to high places should get you to the signal. 

Beginners: text me for additional hints, such as the best parking place or if you wish to borrow a directional antenna.

Happy New Year,

Chris, KC1TSA
617-378-2354 (text preferred)
christopher.laros001@umb.edu

All

Mass Rhode Island Phone Net expands to include Sunday sessions

- by kw1u - Leave a Comment

According to Net Manager Ralph Devlin, N1LAH, effective Sunday January 7, 2024 the Massachusetts Rhode Island Phone Net will be adding  Sunday sessions to its regular weekly schedule. Look for the net daily at 1700 local time on 3978, +/- due to interference.  This net serves the three sections of East Mass, West Mass and Rhode Island with outlets to anywhere message traffic is legally permitted. All amateurs are welcome.

Clubs / Licensing Education & Training

Navy Sea Cadets Navigate the Waves of Knowledge at Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Brandon Hockle, NQ1W, writes:

Amateur radio enthusiasts at Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association (CAARA) opened their refurbished training space in Gloucester to a group of eager Navy Sea Cadets. This event, made possible by CAARA (an Eastern MA Special Service Club operating since 1977 ) and a grant from the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), aimed to provide the Sea Cadets with comprehensive education for their Technician Class amateur radio license.

Navy Sea Cadets are young men and women aged 10 through the end of high school who train in a disciplined environment and advance through ranks that mirror the Navy and Merchant Marines. They participate in a wide variety of training opportunities to introduce them to the maritime services and a variety of career fields. 

CAARA has a long-standing relationship with the Sea Cadet program in Gloucester, and was ready to provide a day of hands-on experience in its new education center. The space, reimagined and modernized thanks to the ARRL grant, provided an optimal environment for this large group’s session.

On December 3rd, 2023, the training room buzzed with excitement as nearly two dozen Sea Cadets, donned in their uniforms, arrived ready to delve into the world of ham radio. The training covered essential topics, including radio operation, regulations, and practical skills necessary for obtaining their Technician Class licenses.

Paul Krueger N1JDH, a seasoned ham radio operator and instructor, led the Sea Cadets through the intricacies of radio communication. His wealth of knowledge and passion for amateur radio were evident as he engaged the cadets in a dynamic learning experience.

The refurbished training space, a result of the ARRL grant, offered modern amenities and up-to-date equipment, enhancing the learning experience for both the Sea Cadets and CAARA members. The collaboration between the ARRL and CAARA showcased the dedication to fostering education and community within the amateur radio sphere.

Throughout the day, Sea Cadets had the opportunity to practice their new skills under the guidance of experienced CAARA members. The camaraderie and mentorship displayed during the event reflected the heart of the amateur radio community – sharing knowledge and fostering the next generation of radio enthusiasts.

As the event concluded, the Sea Cadets left with not only a deeper understanding of amateur radio but also a sense of accomplishment. The Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association, supported by the ARRL grant, succeeded in creating a vibrant space for learning and collaboration, ensuring the continued growth of amateur radio in the community.

The success of this training session highlights the positive impact that collaboration between organizations like the ARRL and local radio clubs can have on fostering education and enthusiasm for amateur radio. The waves of knowledge continue to ripple through CAARA, leaving a lasting impact on the Sea Cadets and the amateur radio community at large. 

Photo of Sea Cadets at Cape Ann ARA

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Massachusetts RACES Nets – Monday 1/8/24 for HF, Region 2D VHF, NBEMS & Winlink – Times and Details Below

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

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, since Monday Jan 1 was a holiday, the RACES nets for Jan will be held on Mon Jan 8 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.
Jeff Marden N1JCM will be net control.

********************************************************************************

HF 80 meters 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.
Alan Richard WA1AR 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 Jan 8 and 2400 Monday Jan 8.

We look forward to you checking in!

—

73,
AB1PH
Don Rolph

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Eastern Massachusetts Hospital Net (EMHN) – Saturday 1/6/24 1000 AM

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

John O’Neill-K1JRO, Eastern Massachusetts ARES District Emergency Coordinator – Hospital Liaison writes:

Good Evening,

On Saturday January 6, 2024, the South Shore Hospital Amateur Radio Group will hold an Eastern MA Hospital Net commencing at 10:00AM.

We realize that some locations, individuals, and groups may be subject to COVID restrictions. We encourage everyone who is affected by these restrictions to utilize their home or mobile stations to check into the net if possible. Even if you cannot reach all the systems being used, please check-in on those you can.

We will use the following repeaters in the order listed.
1. Plymouth​ 146.685 tone 131.8
2. Boston 145.230 tone encode 88.5 tone decode 100.0
3. DMR -Talkgroup 8851 Time Slot :1 on the following NEDECN repeaters: Boston 449.175 -5.M CC:1, Hingham 146.430 -1.5M CC:1, Sagamore 145.200 – 0.6M CC;10, Dennis 146.470 -1.5M CC:11, East. Falmouth 145.210 -0.600 CC:9, Martha’s Vineyard145.180 -0.600 CC:10, and Walpole 145.380 -0.600 CC:12.
4. Sharon 146.865 tone 103.5

Return to the Plymouth Repeater for 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, EOC of any city or town as well as RACES or ARES members 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 trying your hand at Net Control please let us know. We can be reached by sending an email to ssharg@outlook.com or replying to this message. The goal is to rotate Net Control practice and the experience among as many individuals and groups as possible.

We thank the repeater trustees for their generosity in allowing us to conduct these monthly nets and the use of their systems in an actual event.

We hope to hear you Saturday.

73,John O’ K1JRO and the South Shore Hospital Group W1SSH

Operating

Eastern MA Individual, Club VOTA Competition

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Volunteer On The Air logoEastern MA Section Manager Jon McCombie, N1ILZ, writes on the ARRL Members list:

First and foremost, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday season and you’re enjoying a productive New Year 2024!

And I hope everyone in the Section had a good time with the ARRL Volunteers On The Air (VOTA) program in 2023, making lots of QSOs and racking up lots of VOTA points! Now that the event is ended, it’s time to wrap up and name the award winning individual and club.

If you haven’t already, upload all your QSOs to LoTW. The one Eastern MA ARRL member with the highest VOTA point total (per the VOTA Leaderboard, https://vota.arrl.org/leaderboard.php?state=MA&submit=Filter+by+State) will receive a softcover copy the of the ARRL-100 Antenna Book, compliments of ARRL. On Jan 10, 2024, I will award the Antenna Book to the EMA-Section ARRL member who has the highest VOTA point total per the VOTA Leaderboard.

The one EMA ARRL-Affiliated club with the highest combined VOTA point total will receive the 6-volume ARRL-100 Handbook, to do with as they please. A club might raffle the Handbook to a member at a meeting, or donate it to a club or public library, or … the club calls it.

To enter the club competition: make sure your club members have uploaded all contact to LoTW; on or after Jan 10, 2024, send an email to n1ilz@arrl.org and attach a spreadsheet listing the callsigns of club members and their claimed VOTA scores. I will confirm VOTA scores from the VOTA Leaderboard, and the winning club will receive the Handbook.

Questions? Email me at n1ilz@arrl.org.

73 de

——————————————————————–
ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section
Section Manager: Jon W McCombie, N1ILZ
n1ilz@arrl.org
——————————————————————–

Clubs

WØMET: “Winter Field Day” at Sci-Tech ARS Hybrid Meeting, January 2, 2024

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

New England Sci Tech logoThe New England Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society will meet on-line and in-person on Tuesday, January 2, 2024 at 7 PM and feature: “Winter Field Day” by Marvin Turner, WØMET.

Description: In this engaging and timely presentation, Marvin will share insights into the annual Winter Field Day event that brings together amateur radio enthusiasts in a unique cold-weather setting. Winter Field Day is not just a contest—it’s a community-building experience that challenges operators to set up temporary stations in winter conditions, fostering camaraderie and testing one’s skills. As the president of the Winter Field Day Association, Marvin provides a firsthand look into the planning, activities, and the sense of adventure that makes Winter Field Day a highlight on the ham radio calendar. Please join Marvin on a journey through snow-covered landscapes and radio waves, where passion for communication meets the beauty of winter.

Bio: Marvin has been active in amateur radio for over 25 years. In 2022, he became the president of the Winter Field Day Association. As the host of “The Ham Radio Guy Podcast,” he shares his insights, experiences, and interviews with fellow ham radio enthusiasts. By day, Marvin serves as the IT Support Manager for a prominent healthcare company in Nashville, leveraging his technical skills to ensure the smooth operation of critical systems. Marvin loves to travel and explore, is happily married to his wife Heidi, and is accompanied by Otto, his loyal canine companion, on his ham radio adventures.

Clubs / Operating

Quincy Radio Club New Year’s 2024 Special Special Wooden Nickel Event

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

The Quincy Radio Club (KW1NZE) will be on the air from Sunday, December 31 19:00 EST (0000 UTC) to Monday January 1 18:59 (2359 UTC). HF (SSB, CW, FT8) Wires-X Quincy Room #63826.

We will be welcoming in the new year from the city of Quincy Massachusetts, home of Dunkin Donuts, John Adams, John Hancock, the first commercial railroad in the US, Howard Johnson’s, surf guitarist Dick Dale, Academy Award actress Ruth Gordon and the location of the largest Flag Day parade in the USA. These are but a few of the extraordinary people, events and institutions that have come from our great city.

All stations that work KW1NZE during this event are encouraged to send a SASE to the above address and receive a highly collectable wooden nickel. Hope to get you in the log!!

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Getting Winlink pat, VARA, and ARDOP working on M1/M2/M3 Macs

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Hi all,

I’m sure there are other modern Mac owners who would like to join the Winlink network. As part of my work with the West Middlesex ARES group here in Massachusetts, I worked out a pat configuration that is fully functional with ARDOP and VARA HF modems, despite their being Windows-only applications.

I’ve had this working for about 6 months now, and I’ve finally gotten around to writing the instructions necessary for others to try out. They are in a blog post on my web site at:
https://www.wg1v.org/posts/2023-12-27-Winlink-and-Pat-on-M1-Mac/

It’s also the most recent blog post on my ham radio site, wg1v.org.

A caveat: Before folks get too excited, this does involve a piece of payware software called Crossover, which is a commercial version of WINE. It’s available from codeweavers.com and costs $74, but it is available as a 14-day evaluation for you to see if it’s worth paying the money. I suspect that it is now possible to make this work with the open source version of WINE, but 1) I haven’t done that, and 2) I’m happy to pay the Codeweaver folks who make running Windows stuff on Macs easier.

I’ve made this configuration work with both an Icom IC-7100 and a Flexradio 6600, so I’m pretty certain it’s adaptable to most modern radios with a USB audio and CAT interface.

I hope hams using modern Macs find this useful.
Carl, WG1V

Licensing Education & Training

Technician Licensing Class Begins January 11, 2024, in Dartmouth

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Southeastern MA ARA logoMarcel L. Dumont, W1MLD, writes on the Southeastern MA ARA mailing list:

Tony [Souza], NN1D, will be giving a class for your tech ham license beginning the second week of January on Thursday, January 11, 2024.

The classes will be held at the Dartmouth Police station on Tucker Road just south of Route Six. The classes will be held for four weeks with testing on the fifth week. The classes will be from 7 PM till 9 PM each night except for the first night at 6:30 for registration. The cost will be for the book only at under $15.00. The class is free.

Anyone interested should call Tony at 508-493-0417 ASAP.

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

FEMA Region 1 Winlink Testing

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

KI1U-Mike Corey – FEMA Region 1 Emergency Management Specialist in Disaster Communications writes:

Good afternoon,

FEMA Region 1 will begin conducting monthly Winlink tests starting January 2024. The purpose of this test is to exercise the Regional PACE plan, Winlink is part of the “Emergency” category of the plan. We would like to include Amateur Radio and SHARES stations in New England in this test. Here are the details:

Testing Procedure: Each month FEMA Region 1 Disaster Emergency Communications Branch will generate a Winlink message to participating stations. The message will be sent via Winlink through an Amateur Radio or SHARES gateway. The message will contain simple instructions on how to reply – which form to use, information requested, response time, etc. The receiving stations will reply to FEMA Region 1 via Winlink with the requested information within a set timeframe. The date and time of the monthly test will vary.

Participating Stations – Open to Amateur Radio or SHARES stations in New England. Stations must have Winlink capability and a valid Winlink email address. Participating operators should be aware that this test is conducted without announcement, so it is important that Winlink messages are checked regularly.

How to Sign Up – Stations wishing to participate can sign up online at https://forms.gle/sTibzJjZhftHXR4J9

Please feel free to share the above information with those who may be interested in participating. Any questions, let me know.

Thanks,

Mike

Mike Corey
Emergency Management Specialist | Disaster Emergency Communications
Response Division | FEMA Region I

Clubs

N1JDH: “Vertical Antenna Design” at Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association, January 13, 2023

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Cape Ann ARA logoBrandon Hockle, NQ1W, writes on the Cape Ann ARA mailing list:

Just a quick note to remind everyone that Paul Krueger [N1JDH] has been kind enough to come back for the second in our lecture series on antennas!

Last time he gave an excellent overview of some of the horizontal antenna systems we commonly work with as hams and a look at computer models of them at various heights. This month we will get to enjoy a similar treatment for vertical antenna design!

Paul has put together a fine presentation with models of some the most common vertical design cases and models of their radiation patterns.

We hope that you can come to the presentation and follow up discussion during the January CAARA members meeting January 13th at noon.

Regards,
Brandon Hockle NQ1W

Clubs

KBØYH: “Factors Affecting Small Transmitting Loop Antenna Performance” at Sci-Tech ARS Hybrid Meeting, December 19, 2023

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

New England Sci Tech logoThe New England Sci-Tech Amateur Radio Society will meet on-line and in-person on December 19, 2023 at 7 PM and feature: “Factors Affecting Small Transmitting Loop Antenna Performance” by Augie “Gus” Hansen, KBØYH.

This presentation is an updated version of one given in the first QSO Today Academy in September 2023. A Small Transmitting Loop Antenna (STL) of diminutive size can perform very well on both transmission and reception if care is taken in the design, material selection, and construction phases. The program STLcalc is used to reveal the performance impacts of main loop conductor material, size, shape, and length, as well as the type and quality of the tuning capacitor. Performance is gauged by efficiency, which is maximized by increasing radiation resistance while reducing loss resistance. In addition, some suggestions are provided on ways to obtain good coupling to the transmission line over a wide tuning range.

Augie “Gus” Hansen, KB0YH, is a semi-retired electrical engineer, computer programmer, author, and technical trainer. Although he has deployed numerous types of antennas for broadcast and ham radio use, he has worked on STL (a.k.a., magnetic loop) antenna design, construction, and operation for three decades, primarily to help those who are prevented from using visible antennas. This latest project, STLcalc, started as a Python language programming exercise. A forced march to produce something useful is a great way to quickly learn a new language!

Licensing Education & Training / Youth

New England Sci-Tech Hosts Lexington Boy Scout Troop

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Lexington BSA troop at New England Sci-Tech for radio merit badge trainingSeventeen boys and girls from the Lexington BSA scouts participated in a three-hour program at New England Sci-Tech in Natick toward their radio merit badge, electronics merit badge, and amateur radio license.

For two groups over two weekends, Jon Lyna, George Lyna, Rusty Moore, K1FVK, and Bob Phinney, K5TEC, led radio and electronics activities. Scout leader John Aldridge created the curriculum which he and Bob plan to make a regular program for scout activities at New England Sci-Tech.

Operating

Eastern MA VOTA Competition

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Volunteer On The Air logoJon McCombie, N1ILZ, writes on the Eastern MA ARRL Members list:

I hope everyone in the Section has been having a good time with the ARRL Volunteers On The Air (VOTA) program this year, making lots of QSOs and racking up lots of VOTA points!

A reminder about the VOTA competition here in the Eastern MA Section: after the VOTA event concludes, the one Eastern MA ARRL member with the highest VOTA point total (per the VOTA Leaderboard, https://vota.arrl.org/leaderboard.php?state=MA&submit=Filter+by+State) will receive a softcover copy the of the ARRL-100 Antenna Book, compliments of ARRL.

To enter: make sure to upload all your QSOs to LoTW; on or after Jan 10, 2024, I will award the Antenna Book to the EMA-Section ARRL member who has the highest VOTA point total per the VOTA Leaderboard.

There is also an Eastern-MA-Section ARRL-Affiliated club competition. The one EMA ARRL-Affiliated club with the highest combined VOTA point total will receive the 6-volume ARRL-100 Handbook, to do with as they please. A club may raffle the Handbook to a member at a meeting, or donate it to a club or public library, or … the club calls it.

To enter the club competition: make sure your club members have uploaded all contact to LoTW; on or after Jan 10, 2024, send an email to n1ilz@arrl.org and attach a spreadsheet listing the callsigns of club members and their claimed VOTA scores. I will confirm VOTA scores from the VOTA Leaderboard, and the winning club will receive the Handbook.

Questions? Email me at n1ilz@arrl.org.

73 de

——————————————————————–
ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section
Section Manager: Jon W McCombie, N1ILZ
n1ilz@arrl.org
——————————————————————–

Public Service

Volunteer Registration for 2024 Boston Marathon Now Open

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Boston Marathon Communications Committee <contact@hamradioboston.org>

Dec 7, 2023, 11:00 AM

Volunteer registration for the 2024 Boston Marathon opened yesterday. Returning volunteers have received an email from the BAA that included registration instructions. In order to make registration as smooth as possible, we are providing specific instructions for our Amateur Radio Operator (ARO) volunteers.

If you haven’t previously volunteered, or have a friend who would like to volunteer, please go directly to the Volunteer Registration page and follow the instructions for new volunteers.

Step by Step Sign Up Guide:
https://hamradioboston.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/44002497536-2024-volunteer-registration-step-by-step-guide

A few notes for volunteers:
Almost all amateur radio positions are single person assignments. We are not able to group people on a single assignment, but we will try to accommodate which segment you are assigned to in order to allow for similar start/end times.

Don’t delay! Volunteer registration closes on Friday, February 2 at 5:00 PM EST. It would help our planning processes if you could complete your registration by Friday, January 26.

Help us get the word out by forwarding this email to your club and other amateur radio operators who might wish to volunteer. Most volunteers first learn about the event through word of mouth. If you know new licensees who might like to join us, please make sure to let them know about it. Even just a quick mention at your club meeting can be a big help!

If you have any questions about the upcoming volunteer registration period, or the 2024 Marathon generally, please get in touch anytime. Volunteering at the Marathon is a big job and we appreciate the time and effort everyone puts into it. We’re happy to do what we can to make your work fun, comfortable, and effective.

We look forward to seeing everyone again soon.

Thank you, and 73,

Boston Marathon Communications Committee
contact@HamRadioBoston.org

Please make sure to whitelist volunteer@baa.org and contact@HamRadioBoston.org to make sure you receive BAA and ARO committee communications.
NOTE: You must be at least 18 years old to volunteer for the Boston Marathon.