New England QSO Party

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.

NEAR-Fest Spring 2018

The Spring 2018 edition of the New England Amateur Radio Festival will be May 4 – 5, 2018.

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”.

We look forward to seeing you at NEAR-Fest.

Groton Road Race

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.

HAMCRAM Pittsfield April 21/22

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.

The session will be held in Studio K at Pittsfield Community TV at 4 Fedrico Drive in Pittsfield.  The class will run April 21 from 8 AM to 5 PM and April 22 from 8 AM till noon.  The North Berkshire Amateur Radio Club‘s VE team will provide an exam session at 1 PM on the 22nd, after the class and a lunch break.

There is a $30 registration fee, which includes the class, lunch and exam.  Sign-up is on available on kd2nsa.org but walk-ins are welcome.

Peter and Rich also looking for teachers and camera people since Pittsfield Community TV will be recording the class for air.

For more information, contact Peter KD2JV or Rich KC1BYD.