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Welcome to the Eastern Massachusetts ARRL Section Newsletter – February 2021
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To see all the monthly news, which is updated regularly, visit <https://ema.arrl.org/>.
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(NEW) MASSACHUSETTS RHODE ISLAND PHONE NET NOW DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY
The 75-meter Massachusetts Rhode Island Phone Net (MARIPN) is going daily, with the exception of Sundays, on 3978 kHz beginning at 5 PM local time on March 1. Net Manager Ralph Devlin, N1LAH, made the announcement during a net session in late February. There’s been a strong increase in participation and traffic in recent months. Once any formal traffic is passed the net opens for comments. It’s a great way to meet area amateurs. The MARIPN daily cadence is now similar to other New England nets meeting around the same time including the Green Mountain Net (3933), the Maine Seagull Net (3940) and the Connecticut Phone Net (3973).
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(NEW) SLOW SPEED TEST (SST) NOW ON BOTH FRIDAY AND SUNDAY EVENINGS
The K1USN Radio Club sponsors the one-hour, twice-weekly Slow Speed Test (SST) every Friday and Sunday evening at 7 PM EST. For those who prefer a more leisurely CW pace or are new CW operators this just might be what you are looking for! Details can be found at <http://www.k1usn.com/sst.html>.
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QUANNAPOWITT RADIO ASSOCIATION (QRA) HAS A BEAUTIFUL NEW WEBSITE
Don Melanson, W1DM, President of the QRA has announced a new website for the QRA. Don and his QRA team created a new WordPress website. While ongoing development continues the initial site looks great. A nice touch is highlighting local electronic vendors on the page. Check them out at <https://w1ekt.org/>.
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NATICK LIBRARY PATRONS HEAR ABOUT HAM RADIO
Natick residents Dan Brown, W1DAN, and Joe Weisse, W1HAI, gave an entertaining online presentation about ham radio at the Bacon Free Library in Natick on February 20.
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SEPTEMBER NEW ENGLAND DIVISION CONVENTION RECEIVES ARRL APPROVAL
New England Division Director Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, has approved the Northeast HamXposition (a.k.a. New England Division Convention), to be held in Marlborough, Massachusetts on September 10, 11, 12, 2021, as an official ARRL convention. The event will be publicized on the ARRL website’s Hamfest and Convention Calendar as well as the appropriate upcoming issues of QST.
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MASSACHUSETTS HAM RADIO PLATES ARE BEING PROCESSED AGAIN
Whatever the actual reason behind the delay in processing Massachusetts Department of Motor Vehicles special series plates, the logjam seems to have been broken. Western MA amateur Randy Dore, AI1G, reports that he received his new Ham Operator plates from the DMV on February 13. <https://nediv.arrl.org/2021/02/20/ma-ham-operator-license-plate-update-february-18-2021/>
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“YOUNG STUDENTS DISCOVER A DIFFERENT FORM OF COMMUNICATION”
Foxboro Reporter, Feb. 3, 2021:
Eastern MA Affiliated Club Coordinator Bruce Blain, K1BG, is featured in a story in The Foxboro Reporter, “Young students discover a different form of communication” that describes his efforts in teaching a Morse code class for a group of sixth-graders in Foxboro:
“In a year that has often been isolating, eight students from Foxboro are exploring a different way to communicate.
They are taking a virtual course in Morse code through the CW Academy. Liam Polis, 11, a sixth-grader who is home-schooled this year, said his mother signed him up for the class, and at first, he wasn’t sure about it, but then found it to be fun. ‘It’s different than other classes because we learn on our own and then check in with the teacher, but it’s fun. I learned a lot about the history and use of Morse code and also the letters: a, e, i, o, s, t, n, m, y, l and number 1 for week one,’ Liam said.
His mother Rebecca Murphy said everything people do in life involves understanding a code or a pattern, so whether it’s learning a foreign language, math or history, recognizing and interpreting patterns is an important skill.” <https://t.ly/STxg>
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QCWA SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO CATHERINE HONG, KC1MFU
The Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc. has announced its Memorial Scholarships winners. Among the recipients are: Catherine Hong, KC1MFU, who attends the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“Catherine Hong, KC1MFU […] is a sophomore at MIT, double majoring in Mechanical Engineering (design concentration) and a Joint degree in Comparative Media Studies & Brain and Cognitive Science. She wants to be a conscious creator, imbuing objects and experiences with functional and/or narrative value. To do so, she must understand how people find meaning and interpret the world around them, how society shapes and is shaped by media & technologies, and how to technically plan, design, and create the ideas she imagines. In her free time, Catherine draws profusely, engages in kitchen experiments, and picks up new skills from the extracurricular activities she is in, such as the computing club, the caving club, the VR/AR club, and the Radio Clubs.” –QCWA February 2021 eJournal
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EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS ARES
ARES Report – Section Emergency Coordinator, Rob Macedo KD1CY
The WX1BOX Amateur Radio team was busy in the month of February with five SKYWARN activations across the NWS Boston/Norton coverage area. Virtual SKYWARN training sessions are planned for the months of April and May. There will be five SKYWARN training sessions–two on Saturdays and three on weeknights. Dates and times for these sessions will be announced in the next section news.
Eastern Massachusetts ARES completed a section wide ARES exercise on Saturday 2/6/21. Details on participation are still being compiled and will be posted on the Eastern Mass ARRL Section web site.
Also, the ARES staff is working on an online training plan throughout much of March and April, perhaps extending into the first part of May. Details will be posted on the Eastern Mass ARRL section web site.
For reports and news throughout 2021 please visit: https://ema.arrl.org/ares
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ARES STAFF UPDATE (From Tom K1TW EMA section manager)
Rob Macedo, KD1CY, EMA SEC has recommended Dean Burgess-KB1PGH for appointment as an EMA section ARES Emergency Coordinator (EC). Dean is an active member of Cape Ann ARA (CAARA) and will serve the northern part of Essex county. It gives me great pleasure to approve the appointment and welcome Dean as our newest EC. His appointment will take effect once ARRL finishes the application processing.
Welcome Dean and thank-you.
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EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS NTS
Section Traffic Manager (STM), Marcia Forde KW1U writes:
“As we look forward to spring and daylight savings time, we also look forward to some new happenings in the traffic world of Eastern MA. Because we have seen a big increase in the number of check-ins on the Mass Rhode Island Phone Net, we have decided to increase the number of sessions per week from three to six. More information will be forthcoming in the next few days so stay tuned to an announcement on the EMA NTS website.
In addition, one of our newer traffic handlers on the CW net (he is also on the phone net and CM2MN) Rob K2MZ has made an offer I can’t refuse. We will be organizing a slow speed CW net, and I mean slow, slower than MARI CW, for those wanting to get their feet wet in CW message handling. More details will be forthcoming.
See the full NTS report for this month, additional news items, a list of section nets and the PSHR Honor Roll at the EMA NTS WEBSITE:
<https://ema.arrl.org/2021/02/22/massachusetts-traffic-report-for-jan-2021/>
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NET REPORTS
FIRST REGION NET (1RN) REPORT (CW)
Eric, W1RVY, is manager of 1RN Cycle 4, the evening CW net on 3598 kHz. Eric reports the January nets had 62 sessions that handled a total of 138 pieces of traffic and a total of 182 check-ins for the month.
FIRST REGION NET (FRN) REPORT (SSB)
Betsey, K1EIC is manager of FRN, the daytime SSB net on 3950 kHz. Betsey reports the January nets had 62 sessions that handled a total of 215 pieces of traffic and a total of 353 check-ins for the month.
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For more information check:
New England Division website: <https://nediv.arrl.org/>
Eastern Massachusetts 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 WORDS
Remember to set your clocks ahead on Sunday March 14, 2021!
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This monthly 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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