The New England QSO Party will be held on May 5th and 6th. Now’s your chance to be the sought after stations instead of the other way around!
The NEQP is a great time to check out antenna systems and offers a moderately paced opportunity to work new states and countries. You’ll find a wide variety of participants, from newcomers to experienced contesters, all interested in making contacts with New England stations.
We’re working to make sure that all of the New England counties are active again this year and would appreciate your help. Get on for at least an hour or two and join in on the fun. Please let me know if you can put in any time at all so we can work on activity from the rarest counties. Will you be QRV? Let us know by email which county you’ll be on from.
Oh yes, the NEQP is also lots of fun when mobile. Every time you cross a county line the action starts over again. It’s amazing what a 100w radio and mobile whip can do.
The QSO Party is 20 hours long overall, in two sections with a civilized break for sleep Saturday night. It goes from 4pm Saturday until 1am Sunday, then 9am Sunday until 8pm Sunday. Operate on CW, SSB and digital modes on 80-40-20-15-10 meters. For each QSO you’ll give your callsign, a signal report and your county/state. Top scorers can earn a plaque and everyone who makes 25 QSOs and sends in a log will get a certificate.
The full NEQP rules are here. The 2017 results are posted and the results since 2002 are also available here. Last year we had logs from 177 New England stations and 460 more from around the country and world.
Contact Info: 100 Kenmore Drive
Longmeadow, MA 01106 w1ast@arrl.net
Back in late 1975, when I was in 7th grade, a friend asked me if I wanted to talk on the “shortwave” radio to meet new people around the world. I told him yes, but I had to check with my parents. Thankfully my parents said yes too. My friends dad took us to novice classes every Monday night at 7:00 pm. In early 1977, I earned my Novice class license and the call sign WB1DBY.
In 1979, I earned my General license and in 1981; a week before starting college; my Advanced Class License.
My first love was cw and ragchewing. I’ve dabbled in RTTY, PSK31, Packet, and some other modes. I got into FoxHunting and discovered I loved doing that. Fast forward to 2013 and I started getting the bug for chasing DX on both SSB and CW and eventually FT8. Ham radio was and still is exciting for me.
In the 80’s I was on the board of the Mt Tom Amateur Repeater Association (MTARA) and helped to build that membership to 330 people. Then came family and very little ham radio activity. Around 1998 I started getting the bug again and got back on the air and soon joined the board of the Hampden County Radio Association (HCRA) where I have held a few positions for the past 20 years. I am currently the club president. I am also a Life Member of the ARRL as well as a member of the YCCC and the FCARC (Franklin County Amateur Radio Club).
My interests in ham radio are many. Chasing DX on cw, ssb and digital, Mentoring, satellite, fox hunting, portable, mobile and Qrp and pretty much anything that interests me. I have been the state manager for K2H Massachusetts for the 13 Colonies Special Event Station every year for the past 5 years, the WBZ SES organizer, VOTA state of MA organizer, on the board to help make the HamXposition better each year. I was on the team that helped to get AB1OC elected to the ARRL New England Division Director. I’ve always felt the need to help out when I can and am not one to sit back and let other do all the work. I always help when I can.
Plus, I run my own business and have since early 1991. Working for myself in the little niche of sales, service and support of Windows based computers and services for small businesses, home based businesses and personal users. After 30+ years I still enjoy the tech, people and challenges very much.
I am married to my very radio tolerant wife Faye for 30+ years and we have one son; in his late 20’s; who currently lives and works along the Maine seacoast. Jacob holds a General Class license (KB1NSN) but is not currently active. I was a Cubmaster and Assistant Boy Scout Leader for 15 years and Jacob is a Eagle Scout. Faye and I live in Longmeadow just outside Springfield. Together we like to camp, kayak and bicycle and explore new places and both of us love reading fiction when we have the time. Ham radio always comes camping with me.
I always have believed that clubs are the lifeblood for keeping hams active in an area. They are a way of bringing hams together to make new friends, share ideas and interests and make ham radio better. That is why I accepted the position of ACC (Affiliated Club Coordinator) for WMA when I was asked.
Affiliated Club Coordinator Description
The ACC is the primary contact and resource person for each Amateur Radio club in the section, specializing in motivating, providing assistance and coordinating joint activities of radio clubs. The ACC is appointed by, and reports to, the Section Manager.
Requirement: Full ARRL membership
Responsibilities:
Get to know the Amateur Radio clubs’ members and officers person to person in his section. Learn their needs, strengths and interests and work with them to make clubs effective resources in their communities and more enjoyable for their members.
Supply interested clubs with SSC application forms.
Assist clubs in completing SSC application forms.
Help clubs establish workable programs to use as SSCs.
Approve SSC application forms and pass them to the SM.
Work with other section leadership officials (Section Emergency Coordinator, Public Information Coordinator, Technical Coordinator, State Government Liaison, etc.) to ensure that clubs are involved in the mainstream of ARRL Field Organization activities.
Encourage new clubs to become ARRL affiliated.
Ensure that annual reports (updates officers, liaison mailing addresses etc.) are forthcoming from all affiliated clubs.
The NEAR-Fest is an international event run by and for all radio hobbyists and enthusiasts, including hams”, short-wave listeners, scanner buffs, vintage/antique radio fans, etc. NEAR-Fest is held twice annually, spring and fall, rain or shine, at the Deerfield Fairgrounds, Deerfield NH beginning on Friday at 0900 and ending Saturday at 1500 hours.
Admission is $10. Persons under 18 and over 80 are admitted free of charge upon presentation of government-issued ID. Inside parking is available for $10 and includes a “reasonable amount of flea market selling space” for PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS selling their own personal property. Commercial vendors must register and pay applicable fees. If you are wondering if you are a “commercial vendor” you probably are. One complimentary inside commercial space is available for clubs, estates and other “non-profit organizations” on an “as available” basis.
Overnight camping, trailer and RV hookups are available. Three food vendors provide meals and snacks at reasonable prices. The Deerfield Community Church ladies serve up a breakfast that has to be consumed to be believed. Angelino’s offers hamburgers, steak, sausage submarines and other great “fair food” specialities and Patty’s Polish Kitchen menu features wonderful “Mitteleuropa” cuisine. No one goes hungry at NEAR-Fest.
The program of activities and events at NEAR-Fest is extensive; a huge outdoor electronic flea market, three buildings full of commercial vendors, forums, technical seminars and symposia, demonstrations, exhibits, displays, licensing examinations, special events radio stations, a “jam session”, good food, fellowship, fun and general mishigoss. NEAR-Fest is the largest event of its kind in the Northeast and has once been described as the “Woodstock of Amateur Radio”.
April 29 will be the 27th running of this race and the race committee is again asking the Amateur Radio community to provide the logistics and safety communications for this high-profile event.
The Groton Road Race continues to be a major event for Amateur Radio in North Central Massachusetts. Those of you who have joined us in the past years know that the runners sincerely appreciate our presence. Many say so as they run past.
If you are interested in helping at these events but unsure of what is expected of you or what equipment you may need, please do not hesitate to ask Ralph KD1SM, Stan KD1LE, or John KK1X. You can also learn more about the race itself from their website and Facebook page.
The Squannacook River Runners and the Groton Police Department repeatedly praise and express their appreciation for your assistance in providing communications for this event.
The New England QSO Party will be held on May 5th and 6th. Now’s your chance to be the sought after stations instead of the other way around!
The Spring 2018 edition of the 
Peter Mattice KD2JKV and Rich Hall KC1BYD are leading up a “HAMCRAM” license-in-a-weekend session in Pittsfield on April 21 and 22, 2018.