All

You-Do-It To Close

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

You-Do-It logoAn iconic Boston-area store, You-Do-It Electronics Center in Needham, will soon close its doors:

To all our valued customers, 
 
Join us in commemorating the legacy of iconic “You–do–it” Electronics Center. For 75 remarkable years, we’ve been the cornerstone of the electronics industry, delivering exceptional products and unparalleled service.
 
After many fulfilling years of serving our community, we’re announcing the closure of our beloved store. While the decision to close is bittersweet, we know that the memories created will endure. 
 
As we prepare for this transition, we encourage you to come say goodbye and take advantage as we sell off our existing inventory and place special orders for popular products. Additionally, we will be selling office furniture and industrial shelving at deep discounts.
 
Please note we will be closed Saturday, May 25 through Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day Weekend. Our new hours of operations starting Tuesday May 28 will be 10am to 5pm Monday through Friday. 
 
Thank you for your patronage. Stay tuned for details on the exact closing date and any special events in the upcoming weeks. 
Clubs

N1DM: “OSCAR Program” at Wellesley ARS Hybrid Meeting, May 21, 2024

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

General Meeting, May 21, 7:30 PM

Topic: The OSCAR Satellite Program, presented by Dom N1DM

Warren Recreation Center, 90 Washington St., Wellesley, near the intersection of Route 16 and Walnut St.
https://wellesleyma.gov/720/Warren-Recreation-Center

Parking is in the rear of the building and folks can enter at the basement level double doors, through the light tan wood doors, then take a left and up an ADA ramp. We will be in Room 008 on the right near the end of the hallway. If entering through the main front doors, one simply takes the elevator or stairs down to the basement.

This meeting will also be available on Zoom. [Contact danbrownw1dan (at) gmail -dot- com for details]

Foxhunting

W1MJ Fox Deployed, Belmont, May 17, 2024

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
Eliot Mayer, W1MJ, writes on the NEMassFoxHunters list on May 17, 2024 at 7:16 PM:
 
The W1MJ Fox is deployed for the weekend.
 
Location:  Lone Tree Hill Conservation Area in Belmont, MA
Parking:  Mill St (main parking lot), Belmont Day School, and a spot or two along Concord Ave
 
Fox Details
Call:  W1MJ
Frequency:  147.54 MHz (corrected from previous post)
Power:  4 watts
Hours of Operation:  7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Local Time, May 18-19
 
This fox is running much higher power than most of the other foxes announced on this forum.  Come prepared – attenuator, 3rd harmonic in memory, etc.
 
Map of Lone Tree Conservation Area
 
Clubs

KD1CY: “SKYWARN” at PART of Westford Hybrid Meeting, May 21, 2024

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
PART of Westford logoThe May [PART of Westford] meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 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.
 
The meeting agenda includes 
  • A presentation on SKYWARN by Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Eastern Massachusetts Section Emergency Coordinator. Rob has also served as the ARES SKYWARN Coordinator for NWS Boston/Norton (formerly Taunton) since 1996 and has been an avid SKYWARN Spotter since he got his Ham license in 1988.
  • Field Day plans.
 
All attendees are encouraged to bring donations of non-perishable food for the Westford Food Pantry.
 
See you Tuesday!
 
73,
George, K1IG

President, PART of Westford 

[Contact George Allison, K1IG, at geogeall@me.com for WebEx meeting invite]

Clubs

NA1T: “Emergency Management and American Red Cross,” Nashoba Valley ARC Meeting, May 16, 2024

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Nashoba Valley ARC logoThe Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club’s May meeting is Thursday, May 16th at 7:30 PM at the Pepperell Community Center (in Pepperell). We start gathering at 7 PM to socialize before the meeting starts.

May’s guest speaker will be Steve Davidson, NA1T. Steve is heavily involved with emergency management and the Red Cross in the New Hampshire amateur radio community. Steve will be describing and demonstrating some of the equipment he uses in emergency deployments, as well as what he and his ARC cronies were up to during the recent Solar Eclipse.

I’m looking forward to Steve’s presentation!

Need directions? Click here and put your own address in box “A”.

Thanks and 73. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Bruce, K1BG

978-772-2773 or bruce.blain@charter.net

Public Service

Amateur Volunteers Requested, Dave Birtwell Memorial Walk for Alzheimer’s, Sandwich, May 18, 2024

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment
Barnstable ARC logoWe still need three or four more volunteers to for the Dave Birtwell Memorial Walk for Alzheimer’s at Scusset Beach Reservation, Sandwich this Saturday, May 18th, 2024.
 
Volunteers to be at the walk from 10-3 with a 2 meter handheld radio. Jon, N1ILZ, will provide Net Control for a 2 meter simplex net and I will be coordinating our activities the walk headquarters.
 
Time is short and we could really use your help. 
 
Christopher Ranney
WA1CMR
508-681-9981
All

New Eastern MA Amateurs, May 2024

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Welcome image in many languagesThe Eastern MA ARRL leadership would like to welcome the following new amateurs:

Evgeni Belin, KC1UOT, Littleton
Mihir Jain, KC1UQK, Ashland
Michael Miller, KC1URH, Carlisle
Steven Dovich, KC1USD, Andover
John Nolan, KC1UNQ, Haverhill
Pauline Bergeron, KC1UPC, Methuen
Matthew Vigeant, KC1UPN, Lowell
Andrew Hansen, KC1UNS, Beverly
Robert Brewster, KC1USS, Salem
Elvis Lara, KC1UPW, Dedham
Michael Bogan, KC1USP, Franklin
Rumen Gechev, AC1RO, Medway
Scott Lush, KC1UPL, Boston
Alvin Childs, KC1URN, Roxbury
Verma Taylor, KC1URV, Boston
Shawn Burke, KC1UPZ, Boston
Carl Richardson, KC1UPQ, Brighton
Nigel Barnett, KC1URI, Cambridge
Michael Joy, KC1URJ, Somerville
Eric Brown, KC1USK, Medford
George Whitfield, KC1UOI, Melrose
Mary McGrath, KC1UQE, Bridgewater
Nathan Chadwick, KC1UPK, Carver
Michael Borrelli, KC1UQX, Middleboro
Lawrence Genovesi, KC1UPX, Plympton
James Ashley, KM1TWL, Whitman
George Bartlett, KC1URZ, Whitman
Ian Roy, KC1UPE, Waltham
Daniel Levin, KC1UOC, Newton Highlands
Ernest Jones, KC1USJ, Chestnut Hill
Rachel Achituv, KC1USC, Needham
Shira Achituv, KC1USR, Needham
Lior Achituv, KC1USQ, Needham
George Morse, KC1UQL, East Falmouth
Arthur Wullschleger, KC1UON, Siasconset
Nicholas Gray, KC1UQN, Attleboro
Linda Kelley, KC1UNP, North Dartmouth
Jonathan Belt, KC1VMS, Norton
Douglas Rogers, KC1UQY, Swansea

Clubs

WO1VES: “Fusion, C4FM, and Wires X Yaesu Digital Mode Echosystem” at Cape Ann ARA Meeting, May 11, 2024

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

CAARA logoCape Ann ARA Presidenet Brandon Hockle, NQ1W, writes on the CAARA mailing list:

Hello Members and Friends of Cape Ann Amateur Radio Association,

Just a quick reminder that Brian Gudzevich, WO1VES, will be giving a talk on Yaesu System Fusion / C4FM / Wires X and the Yaesu digital mode radio ecosystem up at the CAARA Stanwood Clubhouse this weekend Saturday 5/11 @ noon.
 
Lunch will be available for a small donation to our repeater maintenance fund, which will help CAARA in its mission to replace the damaged 2m antenna system at Blackburn Circle with a new commercial grade antenna setup.
 
This should be another fun time for the club, as our tech talk series during the members meeting have all been really well attended. I think you’ll agree that this year’s speakers have been excellent, each bringing  some fresh new insights on well traveled paths of our hobby as well completely new topics for us to learn. All levels of operator should find value in these great presentations on radio!
 
I hope to see you all there!
 
Regards,
Brandon Hockle NQ1W
All / Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Reminder: May 6th, 2024 MEMA RACES/ACS Communications Test Net

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Hello to all,

    This email is the typical monthly message to let everyone know that Monday evening, May 6th, 2024 is our first non-holiday Monday of the month and, as such, will be the next RACES/ACS/Preparedness Net night. I would like to thank the stations that checked into our nets last month as well as those stations that participated in the section emergency exercise that occurred this past weekend.

      As always, I am looking for Net Control stations to staff our sector nets for the evening. This month I am on my 24 hour Fire/EMS shift (Yes, Group A on my department has been landing on net night a lot in the last few months hopefully that will end soon!) and I may not be able to run the Sector 2A net. As such, I am looking for any interested operator that may want to take that net to prevent the net from not occurring. If there is no Net Control Operator at the start of the net I strongly encourage any of the on-frequency stations to take over as NCO and run the net and submit a net report via email. If anyone would like to act as NCO, for the 2A net please let me know! As always I am looking for NCS operators to lead the Sector 2B (Plymouth County) net. Sector 2D has already arranged for an NCS operator for this month’s net and Sector 2C is a Winlink only net on a monthly basis.

              For any operators interested in performing the duties of Net Control Station (NCS), there are materials available to make the task fairly simple and straight forward. The net pre-amble and role call lists are available at http://wc1mab.org/RACES_R2_Interim_Preamble.pdf and http://wc1mab.org/Month.php with the role-call lists on the left column near the bottom. If anyone is worried that they may mess up running a net, please remember that, in many cases, a less than perfect net is WAY better than no net at all! At the conclusion of any net, any operator that acted as Net Control Operator is asked to please send a note to WC1MAB@gmail.com letting me know who ran the net and who checked in so that the proper numbers can be reported to our served agencies. We cannot always count on our normal net control operators to be available in the event of a large scale emergency, so every RACES operator should be prepared to act as NCO if needed when disaster and emergency strikes!

 Winlink Net Instructions From Don Rolph: 

*Winlink Net*

To participate:

– create a check-in form using the Winlink standard checkin form

– send via Winlink after 6 AM EST Mon. May 6th and before midnight EST May 7th  (any mode, but include mode in check-in form) to KF1D

    I continue to ask that any operators who have the time, please try to check into sector nets from near-by sections. This will allow our Net Control Operators to practice fielding nets with a strong check-in count and will also serve to help practice with relays or modified sector assignments in the event that a single repeater is out of service. 

   For those operators who serve as Net Control Operators, please try to remember to send me a list of the stations and communities that check into your nets. The numbers are reported to MEMA to show them our level of participation. I am continuing to work on a graphical map based report to show which parts of our section have strong coverage and which areas may need a more targeted recruitment campaign to improve our ability to provide back-up communications in an emergency.

The Region #2 and State Net Schedule for this evening is as follows:

Net Frequency/Offset Time
Sector 2A 147.00 /+0.60  PL 19:30 Local
Sector 2B 145.39/-0.60  PL 67.0 20:00 Local
Sector 2C Winlink Net Check-In 6AM-Midnight Local Time
Sector 2D 146.865/-0.60  PL 103.5 19:30 Local
6-Meter State Net 53.31 / -1.0  PL 71.9  

 

Note: Net activity on this repeater has been hit and miss. Please report any activity.

 19:00 Local
MA RACES HF Net 3930 KHz LSB moving up to 3955 KHz until there is a clear frequency 18:45 Local
MA MEMA NBEMS Net Frequency:  3584.5 MHx, Center Frequency: 1500 Hz, Initial mode: THOR22 19:00 Local

    I appreciate you all answering the call to help our communities remain prepared. Thank you all for helping us keep things on track and prove that we remain a consistent source of communication capability to the Commonwealth. This net provides a monthly reminder to our communities and served agencies that we stand ready with a quiet professionalism prepared to serve as a voice to whomever needs one to get help and resources to where they need to be.

 If you know someone who would benefit from being on this list, please have them contact me at  WC1MAB@gmail.com and I will add them to this distribution. Thank you all!

      If anyone has any questions or comments I can be reached by e-mail or cell phone. Thanks for being a part of our team and I look forward to hearing back on who can participate this month.

Sincerely,

Michael Leger (N1YLQ)

MEMA Region #2 RACES Officer

C: 508_995_0203 

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Reminder: Eastern Massachusetts ARES Net – Monday May 6th, 2024 at 830 PM on the MMRA Repeater System

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Hello to all…

The May Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday May 6th, 2024 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 and we will continue the NTS practice message that we started doing in these nets in October 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
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Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Massachusetts RACES Nets – Monday 5/6/24 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, For May 2024, the RACES nets will be held on Mon May 6 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 as WA1PLE 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.
Don Rolph AB1PH 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 May 6 and 2400 Monday May 6.

We look forward to you checking in!

—

73,
AB1PH
Don Rolph
_._,_._,_

Emergency Communications / NTS / Operating / Public Service

Eastern Massachusetts Hospital Net (EMHN) Saturday May 4th, 2024 at 1000 AM ET

- by kd1cy - Leave a Comment

Jeff N1SOM and the South Shore Hospital Group W1SSH writes:

Good Evening,

On Saturday May 4, 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. West Bridgewater Repeater 146.775 dcs 244​
2. Sharon Repeater 146.865 tone 103.5​
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. Attleboro Repeater 147.195 tone 127.3
5. Simplex 147.420

We will then return to the West Bridgewater 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,

Jeff N1SOM and the South Shore Hospital Group W1SSH

Clubs

WB2BEZ: “Grounding and Safety In The Ham Shack” at Billerica ARS Hybrid Meeting, May 1, 2024

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Billerica ARS logoDoug Bruce, N1WRN, writes on the Billerica ARS web site:

I am pleased to announce that we will be having Donald Kane, WB2BEZ, as our Guest Speaker for the in person/Zoom Meeting at the Church on May 1, 2024 at 7:00 PM. Don will be presenting on Grounding and Safety In The Ham Shack, so you won’t want to miss this talk! Here is Don’s bio for inclusion in the May Newsletter.

Don has been a licensed ham for over 45 years (ARRL Life Member) and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of New York with over 40 years of engineering experience including: Product Safety Evaluation; Electric Utility Substation and Plant engineering; Design and Manufacture of Diesel powered generators, including controls and switchgear; rail transit rolling stock and infrastructure engineering and electrical construction and HVAC. This talk will present an overview of grounding and bonding, as applied to the typical amateur radio installation, with regard to power, lightning protection and RF (antenna) grounding.

We will announce the link to join the Zoom meeting before the meeting, but it will be posted to the BARS email list and should not be shared outside our Club. Are you on the email list? If not, please send an email to bars-subscribe@w1hh.org and then simply reply to the robot response from the server and you will be subscribed.

Observing our Zoom meeting requires only a web browser and headphones/speakers. You do not need a webcam or microphone unless you want to speak or be seen.

Before our meeting date, please go to https://zoom.us/test and see if it will function for you. If you have problems, we can try to assist – feel free to ask questions on the BARS email list.

I am looking forward to “seeing” many of you on Wednesday 5/1 here at 1900.

Doug, N1WRN

Clubs / Licensing Education & Training

The Zola Gang Builds a Kit

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Dan Brown, W1DAN, writes:

On a rainy Saturday April 20, members of the Zola-Middlesex amateur radio club gathered at the Brigham House in Newton Massachusetts to build a kit! In attendance were club members Frank, N1FMV,;Nina, N1NGK; Matt, N1IBB; Jerry, W3BBP; Nora, N1GLE and Margaret, KA1BZE. The helpers were Bob, WA1UIY; Tony, K1CEI; Don, KB1OTQ and YL Odette; Dave, W8JVY; Bruce, KC1FSZ and Dan, W1DAN.

Of note the Zola gang consist of hams who have sight and emotional impairments. The club was formed by Eric Falkov, K1NUN (SK), in 2012. After his passing in 2013, Bob ran the club and merged the Middlesex club into the Middlesex -Zola Amateur Radio Club. Frank N1FMV is now president.

The Zola radio members digging into the kits.

Figure 1 . The Zola radio members digging into the kits

To get the project started, Bob researched and ordered enough of the $20 TM-Tech DP-TM-0259 FM receiver kits from Amazon for all who wanted to build one. Before our session Bob built one of the kits to gauge the build process and difficulty. Dan and Bruce went to Bob’s QTH to check the kits out as well.  These kits contain an RDA Microelectronics RDA5807M single chip broadcast FM radio tuner and an MD8002A thee-watt audio power amplifier IC on a small printed circuit board. The FM receiver IC uses I and Q decoding and a DSP core to process stereo audio. It is essentially a Software-Defined Radio. Two AA batteries supply 3v to the system and a 2.5” speaker that provides surprisingly good sound. This kit requires no soldering and the only tool needed was a small Philips head screwdriver, which was supplied.

Bruce KC1FSZ assisting Matt N1IBB with his radio kit build

Figure 2 . Bruce, KC1FSZ, assisting Matt, N1IBB, with his radio kit build.

After Bruce explained the theory of operation of the receiver IC, club members were introduced to the feel of all parts as the helpers explained the part and how it should be assembled. The case was formed of light wood similar to Balsawood that wrapped around the sides and attached using tongue and groove as well as very small screws. Some of the instructions were not clear and the screw sizes needed at certain locations turned out to be wrong, but once we figured all that out, the process went smoothly.

Nora N1GLE was the first to finish a kit!

Figure 3 . Nora, N1GLE, was the first to finish a kit!

After success, folks enjoyed pizza for lunch. This was a fun project that provided the club members with efficient FM receivers for future enjoyment. Who knows, maybe they will hear some distant stations via summertime tropospheric ducting. Many thanks to Bob, Bruce, Don, Odette, Dave and Tony for good assistance!

73,

Dan Brown

W1DAN

April 21, 2024

Public Service

Amateur Volunteers Sought for Dave Birtwell Memorial Walk for Alzheimer’s, Sandwich, May 18

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Chris Ranney,  WA1CMR, writes on the Barnstable ARC mailing list:

This year I am coordinating volunteers to provide ham radio support for the Dave Birtwell Memorial Walk for Alzheimer’s at Scusset Beach Reservation, Sandwich on Saturday, May 18th, 2024, 11-2 pm. BARC and FARA have provided this service for the walk for several years and I hope we can do so again this year.

This year we need 6-8 volunteers to be at the walk from 10-3 with a 2 meter handheld radio. Jon N1ILZ will provide Net Control for a 2 meter simplex net and I will be coordinating our activities the walk headquarters.

If you can help please get in touch with me. I will provide more information to the volunteers as the event gets closer.

Chris Ranney, WA1CMR
508-681-9981

Awards / Clubs

HamXposition Club Newsletter Award

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

Open to all New England Amateur Radio Clubs

  • Each club submits:
    • Club newsletter from the 2nd quarter of 2024 (April, May, or June)
    • Email newsetter to: cq-newsletter@hamxposition.org
    • Deadline to submit: Friday, July 5
  • Judging by someone impartial who resides outside of New England on the following:
    • Layout design
    • Content
  • The top three get a digitial sticker they can use on their newsletter for the next 12 months showing that they are #1, #2, or #3 best club newsletter in New England for the period September 1, 2024, through August 31, 2025.
  • The top three winners for the 2024 HamXposition will be ineligible to participate in the 2025 HamXposition competition to allow other clubs to win.

 

Public Service / Youth

“Going the extra mile: the radio operators who connect all 26.2 miles of the Boston Marathon”

- by k9hi - Leave a Comment

NUWC members assisting at Boston MarathonMembers of the Northeastern Univ. Wireless Club were featured in the Northeastern student newspaper for their work at Monday’s Boston Marathon:

“Early in the morning April 15, thousands of volunteers and athletes began to check-in and start the race that constitutes one of the biggest days in sports: the Boston Marathon. Among them were a cadre of unseen — but vital — amateur radio operators who kept a constant loop of communications for the duration of the race.” 

[Full story]