Please welcome the recently licensed amateur radio operations in the WMA section!
Daniel Tereso, KC1SGB
4R Archie St
Chicopee, MA 01020-1702
Eric J Phinney, KC1SHM
197 Bumstead Rd
Monson, MA 01057-9780
Mike R Balestri, KC1SEW
486 Cold Spring Ave
West Springfield, MA 01089-3765
Steven Hilliard, KC1SFO
98 Douglas Rd
Gardner, MA 01440-1860
Edmund L Bilodeau, KC1SFD
27 Ridgewood Ln Apt 24
Gardner, MA 01440-2029
Ezrah C Itkowsky, KC1SGJ
44 Juniper Brook Rd
Northborough, MA 01532-2343
Hello everyone, Happy New Year! I have some breaking news for you all. Please join me in welcoming Chuck Chandler, WS1L as the new Section Emergency Coordinator. Chuck is from N. Adams and has a background in law enforcement. He is now retired but works part time with the Williamstown PD. I look forward to working with him in getting ARES reformed and functioning again.
2022 was certainly a busy year for us and am pleased with the uptick in activity. Some of which were brought on by the new director in Fred, AB1OC bringing his visions to fruition, and to Larry, W1AST for his efforts in bringing ham radio back to the Big E. Again, I want to thank all who participated in these efforts, near and far. We are looking to doing another event again in September.
Another item of interest is outreach, training and testing which have been dormant since Covid hit. The Quaboag Vallery Amateur Radio Club has regrouped, won a grant and has had successful license classes. I have formed a group, WMA Train and Test and have had success as well. I’m sure there are others but are keeping it a secret. Bringing in new hams is great and I am constantly reminding them to mentor those to get them on the air and active in their clubs. Please consider being part of the mentors performing that vital function. Every month I post on this site the list of new hams. You should take those that are near your club and reach out to them and invite them to the meetings.
2023 we will be looking to build on last year. With these, there are new things going on. One of Mr. Kemmerer’s initiatives is the revamping of NTS, being called NTS 2.0. This is a nation-wide program to get NTS in a better place and working better as a vital function for the modern era.
Another project starting up is the RFI group consisting of a group that is looking to help resolve interference and noise issues in the sections. This is a local (NE) effort but if successful could go national. They received a grant which is purchasing the equipment. Training starts in January.
The league has introduced Volunteers on the Air. A year long event similar to the 2014 one for the centennial. Go to https://www.arrl.org/volunteers-on-the-air to see the details.
So, what will you be doing for 2023? Can’t say there is nothing to do. Volunteer for a staff position, ARES, NCS for a net, traffic handling, take an office for a club, learn a new mode. (I’m still learning CW and getting into building things more) The list is endless. Being active on the air is great and not only being on the air is part of mentoring, but we are also protecting our spectrum by using those bands.
I hope you have a great year and again thank you for 2022!
73,
Ray AA1SE
Hello, welcome to another silly season. Why I call it that? Simply look around you. Everything goes into hyper-drive. The stores barrage you with ads 5 times a day. Black Friday has grown and had offspring. People have to deal with multiple pressures in concentrated form. Just remember to get away from it for a while, cozy up to some coffee and send some holiday greetings to a far-off land in whatever mode you wish. And of course, I wish you all a wonderful Holiday Season as well.
I guess the big thing from the League is a new operating event will take place all year for 2023. It is called “Volunteers on the Air”. If some may recall in 2014 when we had the Centennial, we had a similar event where each state will have a turn at operating with the W1AW call sign with a designator. League employees and officials will have points assigned to their position so we will all be hunted down. Clubs will be included where the club call sign will have a point value as well. This will be on the normal contest bands from 160-10, no repeaters. LOTW will be used for the event. Stay tuned for more details. Should be a fun event.
Our Affiliated Club Coordinator Larry W1AST will be reaching out to the clubs in the section to introduce himself and to possibly visit some meetings as well. He is looking to assist in ensuring clubs are growing and that you have the resources needed for that. We are here to help but keep in mind the other part to success is taking an active part in it. One person cannot do it alone.
The WMA Train and Test group just completed our Tech class course and we have our sights on doing an Extra class. Needless to say, this one will be a doozy, but one that does not happen a lot. More on that later. Since we started this last year I have seen some of our graduates become active in one or more clubs and are looking to advance their license class. I cannot say enough that mentoring is and needs to be an important part of the radio journey. These graduates are also promoting the hobby already which is what this section REALLY needs! Keep up the fine work and thanks to those that work with me in making this a success.
I truly hope again that everyone has a fabulous Holiday Season. Always remember to look beyond the chaos and embrace the true meaning of the season.
Yours truly and Thank you!
Ray AA1SE
Hello, here we go again. Silly Season is approaching once again! I have a feeling the wish list will include heating oil, electricity, etc. One can also think that as uncertainty is gripping the world, how many of us are thinking about radio as a vehicle for international goodwill, or a means to relay a message telling a loved one that they are ok. We as operators have to ask, “are we ready?”
Right now, the league’s EMCOMM manager, Josh Johnston with Fred Kemmerer and Marcia, KW1U along with others are working on NTS 2.0 to invigorate and modernize traffic handling. Messages have gone out to section officials where we report in as to how and when we receive the messages. The plan is to get NTS back into ARES and working as a unit once again.
Regarding ARES in WMA, it is still in a void. I will admit that I have not been focusing on that is due to frustration. After nearly 5 years of trying with no interest, I changed my direction to teaching license classes and mentoring new hams in hopes that the new hams will be active and therefore participate in ARES activities. Don’t get me wrong, there is a number of members who are active with various aspects of EMCOMM and I truly appreciate it. There just isn’t enough of us to achieve what we need to be an effective group. Served agencies will not consider us in their plans unless we are better organized. If you read this and have ideas, comments, etc. please, let me know.
The Big E for 2022 is in the can. Now the feedback is being looked at and the general feeling from those who responded is they want to see it again next year and want to contribute again. This does speak volumes and is very encouraging. We learned a lot from this one and will improve on it. So keep it on your mind if you wish to get involved.
The Quaboag Valley Amateur Radio Club ran a tech class using the ARRL/ARDC grant they received and received 16 new licensees as a result! That was a stellar effort and they are not stopping there. Keep up the good work!
Speaking of classes, the WMA Train and Test group is now conducting Tech classes with a VE session on Dec 3rd. There are other license classes I hear are in the works. I encourage all clubs if they have anyone interested to point them in that direction, or maybe have a class within. Of course, getting the license is one thing. As I constantly remind those that mentoring them and getting them on the air is an important part of the learning process.
If you haven’t noticed, there has been some great activity on 12 and 10 meters as well as some serious ducting being heard on 2 meters. Take advantage of it to play radio or to teach that new ham.
The are a couple of websites I have been promoting to clubs because they have a growing library of presentations and they actively encourage us to use them. They are www.k8zt.com and www.ratpac.us. The presentations are recorded and slide decks are available. It is a great resource so check it out.
I truly hope everyone has a fantastic Thanksgiving if I don’t see you before then. Please visit nediv.arrl.org and this site often to stay up to date on what’s going on.
Until next month, 73.
Ray-AA1SE
Hello! What a month! As most of you know, a lot of us has been immersed in the Big E Project and in a few days it’s all over. This has been a long time in the making and even though there were a couple of hiccups, the majority of us consider this a huge success. The ARISS event went off without a hitch and received great reviews, and still is! There were key people who contributed an enormous amount of time, resources and energy and each one of us should give them thanks for a fine job! That goes without saying all those who contributed in some ways, the people who manned the booth. The behind the scenes planning and the multitude of Zoom meetings, our director and his wife and our vice director, the production and stage crew, New England Sci-Tech, and so many more and those I may have missed, a huge thank you!!!! Amateur Radio thanks you!
Now to plan next year??? Maybe? We will be looking for a LOT of feedback to see. After years of silence, Western Mass stepped up big time!
During this time, I have also been working with our Train and Test group to plan and prepare for our Tech Class License Course. This will kick off on October 18th. Any one you know wishing to take the class can email me or to backhoeken@yahoo.com. We have been and continuing to work on improvements to provide a quality course for the students.
After 9 months if not more, it looks like my aa1se@arrl.org is now fixed! Just as an insurance and test, if you email me keep using ray.aa1se@gmail.com and cc the .org address.
As September rolled in, I am happy to report all the WMA clubs are back to live meetings. Some are continuing to do hybrid meetings with Zoom. As I mentioned before, GO to the meetings. Don’t go on zoom with a bowl of popcorn on the couch. Bring the popcorn with you!
A special shout out to the Quaboag Valley Amateur Radio Club in Warren, MA. The club has revitalized and restructured themselves and is also a recipient of one of the ARRL/ARDC club grants. It was also great to see them participate at the booth. Congrats to them! Keep up the good work!
When things quiet down a little I will be back to visiting the clubs. I like in-person but will also do Zoom on occasion. Remember, keep me informed as to what’s going on in your club. I think we gained a lot of momentum from the Big E so let’s build on that.
I hope everyone has a great month. Again thanks to those who contributed to the Big E.
73,
Ray AA1SE
Hello! Welcome to September! School’s back in session, vacation’s over and club meetings are back for another season.
Just last weekend we had the HamXposition in Marlboro. And as is the theme for this Summer. HOT! I even added an extra treat and volunteered to help set up. I was looking for someone to baste me as I was cooking out there! There were a number of improvements made and still more tweaking needs to be made, (like vendors) the event I feel went well and reports were forums were well received with great subjects presented. As always, it was such a treat to see and talk to many people there. A number have come to me to compliment and thank me for my efforts which is greatly appreciated.
Dave Minster NA2AA, our CEO has been putting forth a great effort in engaging and improving the league to be positioned for the future. As you know the sad reality was, they let it go to a point where a lot of work has to be done to get it to where it should be. These efforts do take time and we as a membership need to be patient while this goes on. Dave has announced 2023 to be focused on volunteerism. This is something that I am very interested in what they do. As you may know, my section and clubs have been struggling to get people to step forward to help out. Section positions are empty as well as club leadership. This is not right and for clubs it could become the untimely end to them. One reason people state is they are busy. During my 10 plus years as club president, 3 years as section manager, I have worked a full-time job, managed 2 houses and my elderly mother. I could use that reason many times but don’t. I’m not saying our situation is unique, other sections and clubs are experiencing the same thing. There are those who grouse and grumble about something then crawl back into their shack and do nothing. My response is, if you don’t like something, get involved! Fix it! Improve it! Be the team player and not be a piece of sandpaper.
In just over 2 weeks we will be in full swing with the BIG E event and glad to say plans are falling into place nicely. There is still a need to have some more volunteers man the booth and assist in promoting the hobby to the public. Remember, this could benefit your club. Go to the https://nediv.arrl.org/ website and go to the links to learn more.
With the new season, I am going to try to visit your clubs personally. Some are time and distance challenged unfortunately. If you are running hybrid or Zoom meetings, email me the links and also email me your newsletters to let me know what your club is up to. I am always interested in what’s going on. If you have a need or inquiry, shoot me an email at ray.aa1se@gmail.com. My ARRL.ORG address does not work. Hope you have a prosperous club season and hope to see you at an event.
Hello WMA. Welcome to August! I don’t know if you also heard the sonic boom, that’s how fast this year has been going!
Our top story is of course The Big E. Larry W1AST, Fred AB1OC. And myself along with others have been immersed in getting this to be a quality experience for all. Not only have I been building the background displays and counter for the booth, but I have also been tapped to coordinate the stage event for the ARISS contact. Larry is still seeking volunteers to help in all aspects of this event especially manning the booth for various shifts. Those that do volunteer will get their parking and entrance fees covered. Those that do wish to see the ARISS contact and if they bring their license will get in free. (still have to pay parking) Details are still going on so keep up to date by going to the https://nediv.arrl.org/project-big-e/ You can email Larry at w1ast@arrl.net with any questions.
Not to be overshadowed is the other “biggie” which is our upcoming New England Convention in Marlboro August 26-28. This year we are also having the Hudson Division along with us. Reports are the ticket sales have already exceeded last year. Vendor participation looks a lot better too. Go to https://dev.hamxposition.net/welcome-to-hamxposition.html for more info and to purchase tickets. Volunteers are also needed, go to https://dev.hamxposition.net/volunteer.html You get free admission for just 4 hours of your time.
As summer soldiers on and transitions to fall and clubs start to begin their new seasons, now is the time to start thinking about programs for the season. Guest speakers, activities, etc. Try to have a good plan in place to enhance meeting attendance. Members, consider volunteering to help your club. Many clubs struggle to keep a full staff of officers to make it run well. Remember, one per cannot do it all and believe it or not, it’s not rocket science! You may learn a thing or two along the way!
One thing I have been doing during some of my down times is going through some old QST’s that were given me. Lately I have read ones from the mid 60’s. Even though I don’t go through it cover to cover, it is interesting to see how the league as well as the hobby have evolved and how the times have influenced its content. (When was the last time you saw a radio ad with a person smoking a pipe?) I think its good to look back in time and learn from it. For instance, did you know the son of a past US President was the President of the league? QST had a few pages devoted to YL’s in radio. Can the past have an influence in what we do now? I think so!
To wrap this up, I hope to see you at any of the mentioned events. Consider volunteering to these and even to the openings here in WMA staffing. Start planning your club seasons and learn from the past.
See you next month!
73, Ray AA1SE
Hi everyone, Field Day 2022 is in the books. My day started at 0730 when I started my travels to Windsor Ma. which is between Peru and Hinsdale. It is a pleasant ride with hills and farms etc. There we find our first stop, the NOBARC club. They were setting up for a 4A effort. Marcia KW1U also stopped by there later on.
From there I visited Franklin, Hamden, Southwick, Central Ma. They all looked to be having active events. Did I mention it was HOT out there! Kudo’s to those who were out in the sun dropping large amounts of sweat on the ground setting up and taking down. Sunday, I visited WECT in Worcester and finished the day at Montachusett and helped with the take down there. Thanks to CMARA for treating me to their dinner Saturday. Montachusett made me happy as there was a new Ham operating a station and her 12-year-old daughter operating the GOTA station. Now that’s mentoring! I think she is going to study for her Tech license soon. She loved it! I hope all the Field Days had a similar experience. I would love to hear about it.
Speaking of mentoring, the license classes I have been conducting with a group of instructors just keeps surprising me. A couple of weeks ago we had a VE session in Gardner and 14 people arrived to take the test, 8 of which were our students. All 14 passed their intended tests! Many of them passed with 100% and a number of them did attempt the next level. One person was 2 questions shy of the trifecta! 2 of our students passed at earlier VE sessions. My hats off the the group of instructors who have put forth the time and effort to tune and tweak our course structure to provide a quality course. We have been developing it ongoing. We’re new and we are learning also. The reward so far is great! We are planning future classes for all 3 license classes.
The Big E event is moving right along and I am happy to report that they received a 10,000-dollar grant to help finance the project. There is so much going into this and with events of this magnitude is help is always needed. Please go to https://nediv.arrl.org/project-big-e/ to learn more. We are also reaching out to all New England states as well. This effort benefits Ham Radio, our clubs, and more.
I have been looking at the league’s web to see if the new ham listings have come out and there has been nothing. The FCC is issuing callsigns and I am not sure if the League is getting them. I have not inquired about it as I know there are issues ongoing. My arrl.org email address is still broke. Please use aa1se@arrl.net or ray.aa1se@gmail.com to contact me.
I hope everyone has a great summer. Do some good radio while cooking those burgers and dogs while working on your tan!
73,
Ray AA1SE
Hi gang! Well, it’s that time of year again. The sound of “CQ Field Day, CQ Field Day” Is dancing in our heads. Load up the radio’s, coax, antennas, and just as important, the grill. June 27 – 29 is the date. So, where will you be? With a club? In your backyard? Mobile? It’s all good. Remember 100-watt max. going forward. Also, the rules the last couple of years still apply. As usual, I will be touring the countryside looking for those elusive club sites. If you want to be found, put yourself in the League’s locator site. As of this writing, there are no clubs in my section posted on it. Please do all you can to invite new hams, make them feel welcome and get them on the air. Remember, there are points to be had for an information table, GOTA and also the educational activity bonus.
My apologies for not posting the new ham list. When the FCC had their issues, the new hams have not been getting processed and the ARRL has not got them. Hopefully when it comes back it will be a BIG list.
Our section has again been stung with resignations. Bob, K1YO and Aaron, KF1G have left their positions. This effectively leaves ARES in ashes again. I will support what is still in place as best I can. This and many positions are continuing to left be unfulfilled and other positions are filled and absent from their duties. I’m looking for new volunteers to these positions that can bring some energy to the mix and help really take us to the next level. Positions are open. Email me if you’re interested or just want to discuss these positions.
It is good to see that there is an uptick in VE sessions and license classes going on again. I cannot underscore enough that mentoring will play a big role in getting them active in the hobby. New hams are the continuation of our hobby. The league is well aware of it now and new programs are starting to aid in clubs being successful. Reach out to myself, Larry W1AST the ACC for assistance.
Last week I had the pleasure of going to my first Hamvention in Dayton. I actually drove there. (13 hours) which from what I heard was a good thing as some people had flight issues on the return. I spent part of the time working the ARRL booth for memberships and the clubs. We were treated to some toasty weather and a lot of people. It is hard to imagine the scope of the event and its size until you go there. This was actually the 70th one they had, and it was reported to bring in 30 million dollars to Dayton’s economy. Believe it or not, I didn’t even see the outdoor flea market! (Too much to do) When people advise you about your feet and foot care, pay attention, trust me!
There is an awful lot going on with upcoming events. There is the 13 Colonies special event in July, HamXposition in Marlboro in August, and the Big E in September. There is a big need for people to help out in these events. Visit their websites to learn more or email me. Please consider donating some time. It cannot be done by themselves!
That’s all for me. Definitely not bored at all. With all that I wrote, I said nothing about what I’m doing personally for the section and for the hobby. I can do it, so wake up Van Winkle or Jiminy Cricket and pitch in!
Till next time,
73
Ray AA1SE
Hello! We made it through another month. Being busy make it move quickly. Springtime has certainly sprouted activity out here. Question is…where are you?
I write this after a little “recovery” from Near-Fest. It was so great to see you all out there. I was there at 0530 waiting to get in to secure my favorite spot. It was great to have Brad W1BCC and Aaron KF1G and his family there alongside me and provided some assistance. Gary K1YTS and crew stopped by for a visit along with Barry W1HFN from MARA. It really is more fun when you are with friends. Next one is October 14 and 15. Hope you can make it then.
Larry, W1AST has started the promotion of the BigE radio event planned in September. There is so much to do before then. See the flyer below and consider volunteering for some of it. This event does need a lot of people from ALL of New England.
Some time ago I acquired a bunch of old QST’s that I have been going through and I came across several articles going back over 25 years and more concerning the state of Ham Radio and new ham mentoring and the “old timers” attitude towards new licensees, also with the general lack of participation in clubs. This kind of struck a nerve as I have been a strong advocate for some time now about the very thing. I am sure all of you who read this are probably tired of me preaching about it. The above statement says it all as to why I do! Sadly, I still hear reports of new hams not feeling welcome when they try to join in. I literally heard a comment stating they should be doing more but “I’m too lazy,” In a room of brand-new hams. My question is what had changed in the last 25 plus years? Not much I guess, just the people and the dynamics. To those that are active in many aspects of the hobby, do not let this discourage you, stay with it. If we can get more positives in the mix, it will drown the negatives out. Don’t be afraid to lean on others for ideas, encouragement, etc. This is a hobby of many investments, not just radio’s, antenna’s etc. You invest in people, community, the hobby. Believe me when I say this, I have to remind myself of this every day!
Clubs at this time are now focusing their meetings on elections and field day. New(er) hams can benefit from this as they can develop skills at field day and grow in the hobby. It can help develop good relations to the club they participate with. Clubs are also looking for leaders to take them into the future. Some clubs have been successful in dusting it off and adding new things to make it lively again inspiring others to join in. There is a huge pool of people inside and out who are willing to help those who take on those positions. Give it a try, you can be a gamechanger.
That’s about it for now, better get off the soapbox before it caves in hi-hi! Seriously, if I can do it, you can do it. I am by no means a rocket scientist. I utilize my imagination and my resources around me. Joe Dirt (re: the movie) said it best. Life’s a garden….dig it!
Till next month!
Ray AA1SE
