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Heads up: the email-blast-to-all-section-members function is still down, a casualty of the cyber-attack on ARRL HQ.  There is currently no ETA. I’m publishing the Update on the EMA website and sending it to all the clubs I have email addresses for, with a request to distribute it widely.  It’s now officially Summer. That means the population of our Cape Cod communities has swollen by a factor of 3-4. Many, many businesses are making their profits for the year, and that is to be respected. On the other hand, geez, the increase in car traffic is crazy, making driving challenging. Ah …

Jeff N1SOM and the South Shore Hospital Group W1SSH writes: Good Evening, On Saturday August 3, 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. Plymouth Repeater …

Hello to all… Understanding the short notice, Eastern Massachusetts ARES is conducting a section wide exercise code named Operation “Big Blow” for this Saturday 8/3/24 from 10 AM-12 PM. Eastern Massachusetts ARES members or any general Amateur Radio Operators are welcome to participate. You need not be an ARES member to participate. The document details frequencies and modes and u can utilize as many or as few modes as you would like during the exercise and also note some local area repeater start times for nets may occur during the 2-hour window and not right at 10 AM. Information is …

Brendan Baldonado, NW1S, writes on the Boston ARC mailing list:   The BARC Summer POTA event is this Saturday!   What: 2024 BARC POTA event Where: Herter Park / Charles State Reserve When: 10 am on July 27th   Bring yourself and a radio if you have one, and lunch and refreshments.   I am planning to Park at the parking lot labeled Christian Park Parking, the address is 1075 Soldiers Field Road. When coming from Downtown or Easterly routes, It is the third parking lot after the set of lights  after the Arlington/Route 3 split near the Elliot Bridge. …

The June STM Report can be found at https://ema.arrl.org/massachusetts-rhode-island-stm-report-for-june-2024/. Note especially last call for the annual traffic handlers picnic August 4 in Concord MA from 12 Noon on. Also check out an update on new ARRL Numbered Radiograms and New Handling Instructions, now available in both PDF and DOCX format for download on the NTS2.arrl.org website.

Brandon Hockle, NQ1W, writes on the Cape Ann ARA mailing list: On Saturday, July 27,/2024, Jim Barber, K1TT, will host Cape Ann Radioactive FB Group’s first fox hunt by car. Participants will meet at 668 Washington Street, Gloucester, MA, at 11 AM, rain or shine. The fox will be in Jim’s car (everyone will see it at the start) parked on a public road or parking area viewable from the road. The fox will be on Cape Ann proper, Gloucester and Rockport, no need to cross the bridges over the Annisquam River. The fox will transmit on 146.565 MHz at …

Alan Hicks, KD1D, wites on the NEMassFoxHunters list at 7:50 PM on July 19, 2024: The KD1D Fox is out again on this much milder weekend.    To find it, you’ll need to travel on Route 110 (between Littleton Common and the Ayer line).   You will likely hear the transmitter when you get to the intersection of Route 110 (King Street) with I-495.   The KD1D Fox  transmits a 25 second voice message every 60 seconds on 146,565 MHz FM simplex with an out power of about 50 milliwatts.   When you find it, please enter your 1st name, callsign …

Lem Skidmore, W1LEM, writes on the Barnstable ARC mailing list: [Barnstable Amateur Radio Club] members will be presenting to  approximately 200 seventh and eighth graders at Mass Maritime on Monday, July 15, 2024.  This is a two-week program for “very smart” junior high schoolers. Evening programs are presentations o a variety of topics–ours will be Amateur Radio. We will present from 6 PM to about 7 PM, then do Q&A and demonstration. We will be on 2m (both the BARC 146.955 repeater, and the FARA 147.375 repeater as well as HF on 10m on 28.300 and upwards, depending on band …

Jeff N1SOM and the South Shore Hospital Group W1SSH writes: Good Afternoon, On Saturday July 13, 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 …

Jeff N1SOM and the South Shore Hospital Group W1SSH writes: Good afternoon everyone, The South Shore Hospital Amateur Radio Group will hold the Eastern MA Hospital Net on July 13,2024. The NET usually held on the first Saturday of the month is being postponed 1 week until July 13th. Given the first Saturday in July is so close to the July 4th holiday, and many folks are extending the holiday through Friday and into weekend, we thought it best to hold the NET on the following Saturday. Jeff N1SOM, will send out a notice with the repeaters being used on …

Mike “Sparky” Leger, N1YLQ, Region 2 RACES Radio Officer writes: Hello to all, This email is the typical monthly message to let everyone know that Monday evening, July 1st, 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. I would also like to thank those stations that have helped with Skywarn operations over the last few weeks as the weather has kept that comms team particularly busy! Please note that the 80m HF Voice net will …

Joe Fitzgerald, KM1P, writes on the Sci-Tech ARS mailing list:   Several satellites carrying Amateur radio payloads are expected to launch next week.    While launches are often delayed due to technical and weather issues, presently the launch is scheduled 0403 UTC July 2, or slightly after midnight local time.  New England Sci-Tech and its crack team of orbital analysts stands ready to supply the amateur radio community with the Two Line Elements, AKA TLEs that describe the orbit of an earth satellite via daily bulletins.  TLEs are used by tracking software to determine exactly when satellites will pass overhead, and where to …

My favorite job as Section Manager is touring Field Day sites. This year was no exception!    I got started Saturday morning and headed directly to the FD site for the NorthEast Amateur Radio Club (N1ERC), in the beautiful Fourth Cliff recreational area in Humarock, MA. When I arrived, they were just finishing setup, and waiting for the fun to start at 1400.  The site provides an especially dramatic view overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately for me, the fog was in, so no views for me. Maybe next year?    Next was a visit with the Braintree Emergency Management group …

Hello to all… The July Eastern Massachusetts ARES section net will be Monday July 1st, 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 …

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 July 2024, the RACES nets will be held on Mon July 1 at: ******************************************************************************** Time: July 1 @ 6:45 PM ET Frequency: 3930 KHz moving up to the first free frequency Net Control: Matt KC1FA ********************************************************************************* 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 …

Lem Skidmore, W1LEM, writes on the Barnstable ARC mailing list: We will be setting up HF and VHF stations for GOTA and general contacts.  The objectives are: public awareness of BARC and Amateur Radio, operating practice, team building, and fellowship. We will need [Barnstable ARC] members to set up Saturday AM and teardown Sunday PM, as well 4-hour shifts all all day Saturday and Sunday to operate, and to meet and greet the public. Please contact Mark, K4LFL, the event leader.

Ben Jackson, N1WBV, writes on the SEMARA mailing list: I did not think to snap many photos but I did take one to in response to my family asking “so what are you DOING exactly?”

Dean Burgess, KB1PGH, writes: We are organizing the Gloucester Horribles parade communications on Wednesday July 3rd at 6 PM and we are looking for additional help with communications along the parade route. If anyone would like to help out they can contact me at dburg101@aol.com . 73, Dean, KB1PGH dburg101@aol.com

The STM report for May is now posted at https://ema.arrl.org/massachusets-rhode-island-stm-report-for-may-2024/ . Take particular note of the Traffic Handlers picnic on Sunday, August 4 from 12:00 Noon on. Hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian sausage and baked beans provided. Bring your beverage of choice and a lawn chair if you have one. A request has been made for good weather, so come join with fellow traffic handlers and would-be traffic handlers for some food and friendly conversation. An RSVP would be most appreciated so I can plan on how much food to have on hand. Also note information about the NTS Treasure Hunt …

In 2023 the NTS 2.0 team updated the ARRL numbered radiogram texts. While the former text numbers were not changed a number of new texts were added. These have been coordinated with the RRI numbered texts to avoid confusion.  The new list can be found at https://ema.arrl.org/arrl-numbered-texts-20230606/ .