MAY 2012 SECTION NEWS – Eastern Massachusetts ARRL

ARRL EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS SECTION  

Section Manager (SM) - Phil Temples, K9HI 
Assistant Section Manager (ASM) – Jeremy Breef-Pilz, KB1REQ 
Affiliated Club Coordinator (ACC) - "Bo" Budinger, WA1QYM 
Official Observer Coordinator (OOC) - Ed Parish, K1EP 
Public Information Coordinator (PIC) - Bob Salow, WA1IDA 
Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) - Rob Macedo, KD1CY 
Section Traffic Manager (STM) – Marcia Forde, KW1U 
State Government Liaison (SGL) - Shawn O'Donnell, K3HI 
Technical Coordinator (TC) - Eric Falkof, K1NUN  


MAY 2012 SECTION NEWS

Amateur radio volunteers turned out in droves for the 2012 Boston
Marathon on April 16. According to Amateur Radio Communications
Coordinator Steve Schwarm, W3EVE, approximately 250 hams provided
communications support to the Boston Athletic Association,
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, American Red Cross, Boston
Emergency Medical Services, along with the public safety departments of
eight different municipalities. 

Forty hams comprised the start team; 110 were situated along the
course; 20 were assigned to Net Control in Brookline; 60 amateurs made
up the finish team; an additional 22 helped coordinate bus operations.

Amateurs were also stationed at the ARES Regional Command Center in
Bridgewater, and at the MA State EOC in Framingham. 

The Boston Marathon continues to be one of the largest and most visible
Amateur Radio public service operations in the country. The amateur
community can be proud of its contributions to this historic race.
(Thanks, MARA News)

From our State Government Liaison Shawn O'Donnell, K3HI: The renumbered
hands-free bill is H.3938.  It leaves in the previous exemption for
"federally licensed 2-way radio" in one section, but then prohibits the
use of "a mobile telephone or mobile electronic device... unless said
telephone or device is being used as a hands-free mobile telephone or
to activate, deactivate, or initiate a feature or function."  If a
police officer considered an HT or a mic to be a "mobile electronic
device," (since they /are,/) then a ham could be in trouble, despite
the other section of the law mentioning us.  The bill was passed out of
the Committee on Transportation a couple of weeks ago (about two months
after the last hearing,) and now it has been forwarded to the Committee
on Public Safety and Homeland Security.  They will have to have a
hearing on the bill before anything else happens.  As of now, there is
no hearing scheduled.

A plethora of public service events in the coming weeks need your
involvement, including: Project Bread Walk for Hunger,
<http://ema.arrl.org/node/1936>; Boston Brain Tumor Society Bicycle
Rides, <http://ema.arrl.org/node/1948>; Multiple Sclerosis Journey of
Hope Walk, <http://ema.arrl.org/node/1946>; and the Ture de Cure Bike
Ride, <http://nsradio.org/events/>. 

Late news flash! ARRL Headquarters has learned that an elementary
school in Falmouth has been chosen to participate in the Amateur Radio
aboard the International Space Station (ARISS) program. Falmouth ARA
officers are eagerly discussing their club's possible involvement.
ARISS info at: <http://tinyurl.com/27gagtk>.

The Eastern MA ARRL Staff held its quarterly meeting in Hopkinton on
May 2. Special guest Al Shuman, K1AKS, Section Manager of New
Hampshire, also participated in the discussions.

The 2014 World Radiosport Team Championship organization continues its
ongoing work, including selection of sites in Eastern and Western MA.
Volunteers are being sought for the July 2012 trial run. Details are at
<http://ema.arrl.org/node/1950>.

This SM was privileged to participate in the recent special events
operation at the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center, operating as KM1CC to
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. A
second special event operation (K1T) also occurred at the historic
Marconi station site in Wellfleet. Both events provided positive
Amateur Radio exposure to the general public.

The Eastern MA section field organization was saddened to hear of the
passing of Gil Follett, W1GMF of Abington. Gil handled tens of
thousands of radiograms via packet BBS and voice during his ham radio
career. He was also an active foxhunter. He'll be sorely missed.

Do you know the difference between a funnel and a wall cloud? What's a
microburst? What minimum size of hail -- or frequency of lightning
strikes –- should be reported? Not sure? Attend a SKYWARN training
session! A complete list of training sessions can be found at
<http://www.wx1box.org/node/36>.

KD1CY conducted a SKYWARN training session for members of the Cape Ann
ARA on April 17 in Gloucester.

Wellesley ARS members are gearing up to provide communications support
for the Wellesley Veterans Parade on May 20.

Pilgrim ARC will feature at its May 6 meeting Lt. Col. Shawn Smith,
USAF, who commands the 6th Space Warning Squadron. Smith will be
talking on PAVE PAWS.

Congrats to the Mansfield High School robotics team and member KB1REQ.
The team recently competed in the FIRST regional competition at Boston
University. 

PART of Westford members operated special event station K1P at the
Concord Rod and Gun Club to commemorate Patriot's Day.

The New England QSO Party is almost upon us, May 5-6. Says event
organizer K1KI: "We're especially looking for mobile stations to put
the rarest counties on the air. In Eastern Massachusetts, that's
Suffolk and Nantucket." More info at <http://ema.arrl.org/node/1942>.

K1NUN gave his popular presentation on Stealth Antennas to the Waltham
ARA on April 24.

Reminder: NEAR-Fest XI (better known as Deerfield to you old-timers)
happens May 4-5, rain or shine! Visit <http://near-fest.com> for info.

ARRL will again be officially represented in the state's Volunteer
Organizations Active in Disasters (MAVOAD) organization. Eastern and
Western MA Section Managers K9HI and W1KT have appointed former Section
Manager Mike Neilsen, W1MPN as the ARRL representative to MAVOAD. Plans
call for the sections' respective SECs to serve as alternate delegates.
MAVOAD meets at the State EOC in Framingham.

AA6YQ presented on his DXLab software suite to members at a recent
Wellesley ARS meeting.

Team HAMCOW will be QRV from Martha's Vineyard Island for their 19th
annual DXpedition and participation in the New England QSO Party. The
team will also be a water stop for the Vineyard MS Ride on Saturday.
More info at <http://hamcow.net>.

South coast hams mourn the loss of Don Tanguay, N1DT of New Bedford.
Among his many accomplishments, Don, along with his buddy "Whitey,"
K1VV were instrumental in activating over 70 MA/RI lighthouses for the
Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society between 2003 and 2008.

South coast CERT Collaborative are conducting two Community Emergency
Response Team (CERT) training courses beginning in early May. Details
at <http://ema.arrl.org/node/1947>.

And finally... from the People-of-Walmart-Department: the ham radio
"mothership" is shown here, docked, looking for intelligent life:
https://www.hamsexy.com/cms/?p=1096.

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ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section
Section Manager: Phillip Temples, K9HI
k9hi@arrl.org
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