Eastern Massachusetts ARRL

Members of the Police Amateur Radio Team of Westford are participating in a unique construction project at their monthly February meeting.

“We will be constructing hand held satellite antennas,” writes “Bo” Budinger, WA1QYM. “Allison, KB1GMX, has graciously constructed parts kits for these 2 meter/440 antennas. This antenna design is suitable for working several of the latest ham satellites using just a dual band walkie or a 2 meter and a 440 walkie. The cost for each antenna is $35.” According to Budinger, the antenna has three elements on 2 meters and 6 elements on UHF. The boom is 36 inches long.

Ten club members have signed up to participate in the kit building; a few kits remain available for those members who have not yet signed up.

The February PART meeting will be held at 7:30 PM on Tuesday February 15 at the Westford Police Station. “All are invited to attend whether you’re constructing your own antenna or not,” says WA1QYM.

Boston Amateur Radio Club leaders presented books about Amateur Radio to the Parlin Library in Everett on February 3.

“We wanted to show our support for the library and for appreciation of their courtesy in allowing our monthly business meetings for the past years,” commented Boston ARC President Eric Falkof, K1NUN.

Deb Abraham, Director of the Parlin Library, accepted the gift on behalf of the library.

The club holds its monthly business meetings at the Parlin Library, 410 Broadway, Everett, on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm. BARC’s general meetings are held the third Thursday of every month at the Salvation Army building, 147 Columbus Avenue, Boston.

Gail Held, KB1LSE writes:

There will be a ladies-only YL net on Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. on the two-meter Concord, MA repeater (145.11 MHz, PL 110.9). Any woman amateur radio operator is welcome, you don’t have to be a Colonial Wireless member.

Sound like fun? Then join us! All are welcome.

73s,

Gail KB1LSE

New England Area   Ham - Electronic  Flea Market  ***  DATES  *** 2005 P 1 of 2

All events are Ham Radio/ Electronic related except ~_____~

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

2005                                                    Contact          Source

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5 Feb Tyngsboro MA 3936GP @SportsClub x34rt3 $5@9    Bill K1FUB 603 888 6822 F

5 Feb Windsor CT VintgeR Museum new site@115 Pierson Lane  John 860 673 0518 W
12 Feb Chelsea ME AARA @Chrystal Falls               Bill K1NIT 207 623 9075 A+
19 Feb Marlboro MA AARC @MS  $3@9  $15/T@7           Ann KA1PON 508 481 4988 F
20 Feb Westford MA Radio 36 Antique @Regency $10@8          ARC 866 371 0512 F+
26 Feb Milton VT RANV                                Mitch W1SJ 802 979 6589  
27 Feb Hicksville NY LIMARC @LevitHall $6@9 $20/T@8   Rick K2RB 516 526 6975 W+
6 March Northhampton MA MTARA @SmithVoHS $5@9 $15/T@7Gary AA1UE 413 739 3511  +
19 Mar Pomfret CT ECARA @CommSch Rt101+169           Paul KE1LI 860 928 2456 A
26 Mar Lewiston ME AARC St Conv @Ramada  $5@8 $8/T   Rick N1WFO 207 784 1266 W+
27 Mar Henniker NH CVRC @CommSch                       Jim NS1E 603 428 7436 A
2,3 April Timonium MD GBARC @FG 6AM                             800 HAM FEST F
3 April Framingham MA  FARA @Walsh Sch $5@9 $20/T     Bev N1LOO 508 626 2012  
9 Ap Londonderry NH IRS @Lions Club $10@6 $3@8        Paul K1NL 603 883 3308 F
9 April Montreal PQ MARC @RCLegion $4@8:30 $8@7:30  James VE2VE 514 697 7205 W
9 Ap Norwich CT RANSON Auction @ Fire House         Gary WT1SND 860 884 4218 A+
9,10 Ap  Waltham MA Photographica @HS ~photo~           Ed Shaw 617 965 0807 T 
10 Ap Enfield CT VHF/UHF Conf @Radisson              Mark K1MAP 413 566 2445  
10 Ap Henniler NH CVRC @Comm School B@8 S@7            Jim NS1E 603 428 7436 A+ 
10 Ap Unionvale NY MtBeaconARC                   Colleen KC2HUT 845 497 3687 A+
16 April S Portland ME PAWA @AmLegion                Roger N1XP 207 671 0671 W
17 April Cambridge MA          FLEA at MIT                 Nick 617 253 3776

                Third Sunday April thru October                               
23 Ap Nashua NH NE Antique RC $15/T@7 $2@9 @StStan's      Marty 603 938 5051 F
24 Ap Southington CT SARA @HS $5@9 $10@8:30 $18/T@6:30     Alex 860 214 3013 F
6,7 May Hopkinton NH HossTraders @FG x7 I89           Joe K1RQG 207 469 3492

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LAST UPDATE 2-1-05 de W1GSL  http://www.swapfest.us                 P 1 of 2

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Additions/ Corrections via e-Mail   w1gsl@mit.edu   ***

Page 3 Electronic distribution only.  This page has the overflow if any    P3

from the paper version.

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

2005                                                    Contact          Source

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LAST UPDATE 2-1-05 de W1GSL                                             P 3

   List is normally updated twice a month - look for the latest version

Additions/ Corrections via Internet  w1gsl@mit.edu

                           US Mail  W1GSL POB 397082 MIT Br Cambridge MA 02139

(c)2005 W1GSL   http://www.swapfwst.us        SASE for updated copy as issued.

unlimited reproduction permitted in entirety

*******************************************************************************
This list has been posted... as a service of the individual home page

owners,  to the following WWW sites.                                         
        http://flealist.senie.com/

        http://mit.edu/w1gsl/Public/ne-fleas

        http://www.k1ttt.net/flea.html

        http://www.connix.com/~wz1v/ne-fleas.html

        http://www.k1dwu.net/flealist.html

        http://www.mmra.org/~mmra/flealist.htm

        http://www.qsl.net/vhfnews/ne-fleas.html

        http://uhavax.hartford.edu/~newsvhf/ne-fleas.html                    
  List is normally updated twice a month - look for the latest version       
Be sure to check for the latest version as updating is under the control

of the page owner.                                                           
* You can have the list e-mailed directly to you as it is updated.            *

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                             73 Steve F

                                W1GSL
***********************************************************************

New England Area  Ham - Electronic  Flea Market  ***  DATES  ***     P4

Links to New England Hamfest Web Sites                (c) 2005 W1GSL

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

This section is only included in the electronic distribution.
Cambridge MA    Flea at MIT     http://www.swapfest.us                        
Hopkinton NH    Hosstraders     http://www.qsl.net/k1rqg/
Amherst MA      Mt. Tom ARC     http://www.mtara.org/hamfest/flea.html
Adams MA	N BerkshireARC	http://www.nobarc.org/hamfest                 
Boxborough MA   NE ARRL Conv    http://www.boxboro.org/
Framingham MA	FARA		http://www.fara.org/                          
Newton MA       Waltham ARA Auction    http://www.wara64.org/auction/
S Dartmouth MA  SEMARA          http://www.semara.org/flea/fleamkt.htm       
Whately MA	FranklinCARC 	http://www.fcarc.org/flea.html                
Enfield CT      VHF/UHF Conf    http://www.newsvhf.com                       
Newington CT 	NARL 		http://www.narl.net/1.htm
Southington CT  SARA            http://www.chetbacon.com/sara.htm
Wallingford CT  Nutmeg CT Conv  http://www.nutmeghamfest.com                 
Windsor CT      Vintage R Mus   http://www.NationalCommunicationsMuseum.org/  
Lewiston ME     AARC		http://www.mainearrl.org/convent.htm         +
Portland ME     PAWA            http://www.qsl.net/pawa/fleamarket.html       
Henniker NH     CVRC            http://www.qsl.net/k1bke/                     
Bergen NJ	BARA		http://www.bara.org/
Lake Placid NY  NNY ARA	 http://www.northnet.org/nnyham/hamfest_flyer2004.htm 
Lindenhurst NY  ToB ARES 	http://www.tobares.org/hamfest.html           
Long Island NY  LIMARC          http://www.limarc.org/fest.htm                
Massapequa NY   GSB ARA	        http://www.gsbarc.org/          
Queens NY       Hall of Science http://www.qsl.net/hosarc/hamfest.html
Rensselaer NY   E Greenbush ARA http://www.com-tech.org/EGARA.html            
Rochester NY 	AWA		http://www.antiquewireless.org/
Rochester NY    RARA            http://www.rochesterhamfest.org/            +
Greenwich RI    Fidelity ARC    http://users.ids.net/~newsm/dates.html
Essex Junction VT   Burlington ARC  http://www.vtstetson.net/fest02.pdf
Milton VT       RANV VT Conv    http://www.ranv.org/milton.html
Montreal PQ     MARC            http://www.marc.qc.ca/fest/fest.html        
Montreal PQ	WIARC		http://www.pubnix.net/wiarc/hamfest.htm       
Montreal PQ     MS-SARC         http://www.ve2clm.ca/hamfesta.htm
Sorel-Tracy PQ  CRAS-T		http://www.hamfest.qc.ca/                     
St Therese PQ	CRALL		http://www.ve2crl.qc.ca/hamfest2002.htm       
Halafax NS 	HARC            http://www.halifax-arc.org/
Canada          RAC List   http://rac.eton.ca/data/racfleas.taf?function=form
Phila. Area	VARA List	http://www.qsl.net/w2vtm/hamfest.html         
USA             ARRL List       http://www.arrl.org/hamfests.html

		

The Framingham ARA Spring Flea Market will be held on Sunday, April 3 at the Walsh Middle School in Framingham. Doors open at 9:00 AM for buyers and 7:30 AM for sellers. Admission is $5 for buyers and tables are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. VE session will also be held. Call Bev, N1LOO at 508-626-2012 for more info or go to http://www.fara.org/flea for directions.

An item appearing in a recent newspaper column soliciting assistance for an elderly amateur has resulted in an offer to help, exemplifying the best and true spirit of the friendly amateur.

The Boston Globe’s Chatters column carried the following:

Dear Chatters,

A 91 year old expert amateur radio operator at Sherrill House, a Boston retirement facility, needs help adjusting his rig. Is there a savvy do-gooder volunteer in the area who would help him? Thanks in advance.

Dorothy, His Wife

The story was relayed to a Boston area ham, who sent an email post to the Boston ARC’s mailing list. This, in turn, elicited several comments from both members and non-members.

Jack Ciaccia, WM0G, President of the Boulder (Colorado) Amateur Radio Club wrote:

“…The ham (in question) is Yardley Beers, W0JF, one of the nicest and most interesting hams you could ever want to meet. QST had an article on him a few months ago. He is one of my friends and was a wonderful inspiration to a lot of our young hams here in Boulder, CO and our BARC club (Boulder Amateur Radio Club). Thank you for relaying the call.

“He had a stroke a few years ago and is partially disabled. He still operates CW using the hand that isn’t paralyzed, whenever he can. Ham radio IS his life. He is a physicist (developed the Cesium based atomic clock for NBS and set up some of the WWV sites here in Colorado) and his brain is still as sharp as ever. I only wish I was around there so Dorothy (his wife) wouldn’t have to plea for some help for him. You’ll be rubbing elbows with ham radio history with him. Please let me know if anyone has been able to help Yardley out.”

David Goncalves, W1EUJ, also wrote back.

“I’ve helped (Yardley) in the past, thanks to ARRL. When his nurse did some research, she asked them for local hams. They gave her the Northeastern University Wireless Club’s number (the closest club to Jamaica Plain) and I offered to go. I helped him set up a loop antenna, a Ten-Tec transceiver with a sticky knob, and his HT.

“I wondered what had happened to him, then this message dropped into my mailbox. I don’t get on the air much, so this is the least I can do for the hobby…”

[Ed. note: On behalf of hams everywhere, thank you, Dave!]

James Martin, Jr., W6ZF, writes on bars hamoperators list:

On Saturday, February 5, 2005, the 3936 Group will hold a hamfest and flea market from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Tyngsboro Sportsman Club, Westford Road, off of Exit 34 of Route 3, diagonally across the street from the Mobile Station, Tyngsboro, MA. Talk in will be on the Hollis, NH, N1IMO repeater, 146.730, PL 88.5.

Seller/vendor setup begins at 7:00 AM. Admission is $5.00 per person. Tables are $9.00 if reserved by January 29, 2005, and $10.00 at the door. Proceeds will be distributed to charitable organizations. Door prizes will be drawn every hour. The Grand Prize Drawing for a YAESU VX-150 2M HT will be at 1:00 PM.

For further information contact Bill Fleury (K1FUB) at (603) 888-6822 or email him at k1fub@aol.com.

The Norwood Amateur Radio Club will kick off 2005 with a bang, with an offering of Technician, General, and CW classes, according to NARC president Barry Devine, K1BFD. “At the top of our list … is setting the schedule for our Amateur Radio licensing classes.”

NARC also plans to hold a VE workshop designed to help its members obtain their ARRL Volunteer Examiner certification.

NARC expects to have the classes scheduled by the end of February.

—Thanks, Norwood ARC K1JMR Newscarrier, January 2005

As reported in a previous story (“Marlborough CERT Certification Program Forming“) the Marlborough Emergency Management Agency has scheduled Community Emergency Response Team training for interested members of the Algonquin Amateur Radio Club. The classes begin February 2, 2005 for six consecutive Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. at the Marlborough Central Fire Station. Due to the certification requirements, it is important that you commit to attending the entire series of classes.

Interested parties should contact Donald Cusson at marlborema@aol.com. To learn more about the CERT initiative, visit http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/CERT/.

—Thanks, Algonquin ARC QRZ, February 2005

“The CPSG General Meeting scheduled for this evening, January 26, has been postponed due to weather. We will meeting on TUESDAY February 1st, weather, of course, permitting!

73,
Bob DeMattia – K1IW
Acting CPSG Secretary-Treasurer
http://cpsg.amateur-radio.net/

An interesting case of HF interference reported by a Billerica ham has been successfully resolved, reports EMA Official Observer Coordinator Mike Goldberg, K1LJN.

The amateur reported the interference to the FCC in late December. He was experiencing “strong pulse type interference” that appeared to be coming from the northeast of his location in excess of S9 using a directional yagi antenna. Further, he reported that the center frequency tended to drift between 21.2-21.3 MHz; it was on 24 hours a day and it contained a “strong 60 Hz component.” The rise and fall times were reportedly 1-2 millseconds along with a 10 millisecond “slow” ramp.

“ARRL Headquarters, at the request of Riley Hollingsworth at the FCC, asked us to look into this complaint,” reported Goldberg.

“The interference bore a strong resemblance to interference reported in the area in October on 75 meters,” commented ARRL staffer Chuck Skolaut, KØBOG, who is also the International Amateur Radio Union Region 2 Monitoring System Liaison. “At that time, it was suspected as coming from Lowell, MA, but I never received confirmation and the reports stopped.”

Numerous members of the Billerica Amateur Radio Society drove through the ham’s neighborhood searching for the signal, but could not detect it. Finally, the amateur identified the source of the interference.

“It turns out that the culprit is a CMOS based security system that I designed and built 13 years ago. I haven’t nailed down the exact cause but it is from the controller using CMOS ICs,” said the amateur. “I would never have guessed that it was coming from my own house. It’s funny that it popped up after all these years.”

[Ed. Note: You can find general information on the ARRL’s web site on how to identify and combat RF interference and Electromagnetic Interference, at: http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/rfigen.html]

Richard Amirault, N1JDU writes:

Due to the forcast of another snow storm on WED on top of the Blizzard Of ’05, the January 26 meeting of the Waltham ARA is cancelled.