Eastern Massachusetts ARRL

A Southeastern Massachusetts Amateur Radio Association member is planning to operate Amateur Radio stations with a Boy Scout troop at Fort Tabor in New Bedford. Brad Anselmo, N1VUF will set up an HF and a 2-meter/440 MHz station and keep it operational from 0900-1700 ET on Saturday, October 6, 2007 with volunteer assistance from other club members. “Two people for 2-3 hours each throughout the day would be great,” writes Anselmo. He adds, “I will be there with a troop October 5-7 and will probably have another station set up on Friday night through Sunday morning.”

Members of Taunton Area Communications Group visited ARRL headquarters to tour the facilities and operate ARRL Headquarters station, W1AW. The group visited the research lab, where they saw “staff engineers tinker with new commercial radios for product review and home-brew radios and antennas of all kinds.” They also toured the office of ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, as well as the Field and Educational Services, Advertising, DXCC, and Contesting.

The highlight of any trip to ARRL Headquarters is operating the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station, W1AW. The group was honored and excited to make 22 QSOs on 17 meters using an Icom 781 and eight QSOs on 20 meters with a Yaesu FT-1000. Contacts were made with Belgium, England, France, Germany, Finland and the Canary Islands as stations “lined up” for contacts with the TACG W1AW guest operators.

Shown here: L to R: KB1LXH, W1VFB, WP4US, K1BAR, and NI1X

–Thanks, TACG Newsletter, October, 2007

Hello to all….

ARRL HQ personnel will be in Washington DC today with several folks from Army MARS and they are expecting a visit from members of Congress. This visit is coinciding with a MARS exercise planned for today where various parts of the country get hit with various natural disasters in an attempt to stress the MARS system and promote interoperability between MARS, ARES, RACES and SKYWARN.

Understanding that this great event is unfortunately happening during work hours between 10 AM-5 PM EDT (1400-2100 UTC) Wednesday 10/3, any Amateurs that are available are asked to check into the operation on HF voice, 14.250 MHz and 7.250 MHz as well as PSK-31 on 14.070 MHz. Manager of Preparedness and Response, Dennis Dura-K2DCD, who is also the Assistant Director for VoIP Hurricane Net Operations has asked that Net Controls monitor the *WX-TALK* EchoLink Conference Node: 7203 and IRLP reflector 9219 as they hope to sign on there and take drill traffic reports from this exercise using those means as well.

A link to the national article is listed below:
Amateur Radio Goes to Washington

Various interoperability projects are receiving high praise from ARRL, and Eastern MA amateurs are playing a prominent role in a couple of them.

In his monthly QST column, “It Seems To Us” ARRL Chief Executive Officer Dave Sumner, K1ZZ writes about Amateur Radio’s role in communications interoperability. He describes the progress made in applying advanced technologies to emergency communications, as reported at the Third Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference (GAREC-07), held in Huntsville on August 16-17.

Sumner cites the success of the VoIP Hurricane Net. “It was a pleasure to hear how the VoIP Hurricane Net (…) is utilizing both EchoLink and IRLP to provide ‘ground truth’ reports to the National Hurricane Center.”

A lot of the success for this program can be credited to Eastern Massachusetts amateur Rob Macedo, KD1CY. Macedo serves as Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net. He also serves as the Eastern MA Section Emergency Coordinator and is an ARRL Assistant Section Manager.

The VoIP Hurricane Net web site is hosted by another active Eastern MA amateur, Phil McNamara, N1XTB. McNamara built the web reporting form and linked database for the web-based reports.

Coincidentally, N1XTB is also a prominent player in another interoperability area mentioned in Sumner’s editorial: increased collaboration in linking the digital networks among the Army, Air Force and Navy-Marine Corps MARS organizations.

Sumner’s column can be found at: http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2007/10/01/1/.

Boston Amateur Radio Club members who are also a part of Eastern Massachusetts ARES participated in a Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) exercise on September 23, 2007.

Sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the SNS is a national repository of antibiotics, chemical antidotes, antitoxins, life-support medications, IV administration, airway maintenance supplies, and medical/surgical items. The SNS is designed to supplement and re-supply state and local public health agencies in the event of a national emergency anywhere and at anytime within the U.S. or its territories. [Full story]

Bob Salow, WA1IDA writes on 9/30/07:

I just got the information on the WGBH Open House, and hams are needed.

It’s very late (in our terms), but the WGBH staff has been overwhelmed by the move into their new grand facilities on Market Street in Brighton and then planning the Open House. After months of inquiry, I finally have firm enough info to put together a plan for ham deployment.

For this year, at least, WGBH will hold an Open House instead of the Ice Cream FunFest. SATURDAY, 13 OCTOBER, and SUNDAY, 14 OCTOBER. We will be needed on both days from 0800 to about 1500. 5-7K visitors are expected both days. For over 20 years the Boston Amateur Radio Club has responded to their request for communications to assist and protect the visitors at WGBH.

Because the new facility has very limited parking, two solutions have been arranged. Shuttle buses will run from near three T stations and from two remote parking lots all day. Hams will be located at each site and at the WGBH building to relay visitor congestion and parking problems. You may go directly to your assigned location.

Unlike past support, it will be necessary to use a repeater to cover the territory – probably on 2 meters. Helpful is an antenna better than the “rubber duck” that came with your radio, as well as battery capacity to last the day. Depending on available hams, shift coverage may be arranged.

Time is short and your help is needed on one or both days. For those who have not done much ham public service, this is an excellent opportunity to get familiar without much effort. Please contact me as quickly as possible. Assignments and more details to follow. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

Bob Salow, WA1IDA
wa1ida@arrl.net
508.650.9440

The antenna of the Minuteman Repeater Association‘s Stoneham UHF repeater will soon be replaced, according to MMRA President Bob DeMattia, K1IW.

“The new antenna will provide a -30 db null toward the PAVE PAWS radar in Bourne, versus a current antenna gain of +5dB.”

DeMattia says the new antenna will provide a directional pattern with a major lobe directed at 345 degrees magnetic “creating a line through Woburn, Wilmington, Tewksbury, and Pelham, NH.” Stations in the major lobe could see a signal gain of 10 dB.

K1IW writes, “The 3dB beamwidth is 60 degrees, so stations along the lines of Burlington, Carlisle, Westford and Reading, Andover, Haverhill will see 7 dB improvement. Once outside this wedge, signal strength drops off quickly. On the direct side of the antenna, signal is -20 dB. There are no appreciable minor lobes.

DeMattia says that signal reports are welcome.

NEAR-Fest organizers have announced that proceeds from the NEAR-Fest at the Deerfield, New Hampshire fairgrounds on October 10-11, 2007 will go to funding a fully operational amateur station at the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium in Concord, New Hampshire.

According to NEAR-Fest General Chairman Mike Crestohl, W1RC, “the planetarium staff are very excited at the prospect of having a radio station they can exhibit and operate, and with which they can communicate directly with the International Space Station and other NASA facilities.”

The Planetarium is currently building a new addition and have already pledged a permanent location for this purpose. Additionally, a local area radio club has offered to represent NEAR-Fest and assist Planetarium staff members become licensed and proficient in the use of the equipment. Crestohl says that a presentation to Planetarium officials will be made at the prize drawing ceremony at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 13th.

“NEAR-Fest I in May was an unqualified success, beyond our wildest dreams,” writes W1RC. “We promise you NEAR-Fest II is going to be bigger and even better — if that’s possible.”

New attractions include a number of technical symposia and workshops, such as the R-390 Workshop moderated by George Rancourt, K1ANX, a fascinating lecture on the WW-II German ENGIMA machine and its derivatives presented by Professor Tom Perera, W1TP and “DXing 101” hosted by Neil Kaltman, K6SMF.

Tickets are $10.00 for Friday and Saturday. Admission is reduced to $5.00 at 6:00 AM Saturday. The entry fee for vehicles entering the flea market is $10.00 with the exception of campers, RVs and trailers who pay a $20.00 charge which includes all hookup charges. Advance tickets are available and those holding them will be admitted first. Furthermore, there will be two special door prizes drawn exclusively for advance ticket holders.

See the NEAR-Fest Web site at www.near-fest.com for details on how to purchase advance tickets and passes by mail, or send to W1RC at his callbook address.

Members from the Whitman Amateur Radio Club and the Massasoit Amateur Radio Association joined forces on September 23, 2007 to provide communications and coordination for the third annual D. W. Field Park Triathlon in Brockton.

The race started with a 14.5 mile bicycle race followed by a 1.7 mile canoe and kayak race on Waldo Lake, and then a 10k (6.2 mile) road race. Teams consisted of 1-3 persons who cycled, canoed/kayaked, and ran. Forty seven bicycle teams and about 100 people participated. Proceeds from the Triathlon benefit the Brockton Neighborhood Health Center.

Hams were positioned around the race track; they reported on race progress. They also watched and reported to Net Control about any participants experiencing problems. A battery-operated, solar-powered 2-meter “Go Kit” supplied by N1XTB was kept on display in the registration area.

Shown here (L-R): K1REL, W1GMF, W1JOE, KB1CYV, N1LCY, N1FY, N1VTI, KB1MTW, N1XTB, NI1X. Photo courtesy N1XTB

–Thanks, NI1X

Venture Crew 47 (KB1PAL) is looking forward to another exciting year. A full calendar of events ranging from first aid classes to hands on operating is in store. In September the Crew will be providing communications support for the Aquila District Camporee at Camp Carpenter in Manchester New Hampshire. This event is a great opportunity to give the scouts hands on experience and to expose new faces to Amateur Radio.

The Crew will also be participating in the Jamboree on the Air (JOTA), a world-wide on air gathering of scouts. JOTA will take place on October 20th. We will be assisting with communications for a Railroading Merit Badge excursion that weekend as well. Other events scheduled for this year include: First Aid Training, Leadership Training, a mountain trip, and participation in the District’s Klondike Derby, Venturing Weekend, and the Spring Camporee.

Venture Crew 47 is a co-ed crew and is part of the Boy Scouts of America’s Yankee Clipper Council, in Northeastern Massachusetts. We are sponsored by the North Shore Radio Association in Peabody. As always the Crew is looking for more members. If you, or someone you know, is between the ages of 14 and 20, has completed the eighth grade, and is interested in joining the Crew or has any questions about what we do, please contact us by sending an email to crew47@nsradio.org. The Venturing program is a great way for young men and women to get involved in our hobby…e-mail us to sign up today!

–Thanks, KB1OHZ and KB1KQW