Category Archives: SM Report

Hi fellow amateurs, the question of the month is WHERE DID THE YEAR GO??? It’s November! I was just finishing Field Day. Yeesssh! So many things to do and no time, now it’s getting cold now. Oh well, soldier on.

Sunday, Nov 3 was an important day as our section had our first Section Emergency Test (SET) in a verrrry long time. Bob K1YO put it together largely where our strengths and weaknesses are. All in all this was a successful exercise and indeed, it revealed to us where we need to work on to further strengthen our emergency program. Mine is to set up and operate Winlink and FLDigi. Thanks once again Bob for getting it back together again.

If you haven’t noticed the website is looking a little different. Gil, WK1H has switched to a new service for various reasons and it looks good. Of course, you have to visit the website regularly to see the difference! (hint,hint!) We could use a new logo though. Anyone with artistic skills draw some up and send them to me. The one selected will get a new ARRL Handbook. (I actually sent out this offer in January. Nothing but crickets!).

Looking at the New Ham listings, the western part of the state is showing strong activity with new license and upgrades. I am curious, what works for your club? what do you do? Can other clubs benefit from this? I have ideas and am working on a project to aid in this. But am I missing something? I would love to hear about it. My visits to the clubs have revealed so much but maybe I missed something. Let me know.

That’s enough mumbo-jumbo for now. I just want to say if I don’t see you, have a safe, fun Thanksgiving weekend.

73, Ray KB1LRL

Hello everyone, I held off this month’s report to include Boxboro’s Hamfest which if you missed it, shame on you!

Boxboro provided pretty much the usual cast of characters and events. Most of the outdoor flea vendors were a little worried with Dorian dumping its remnants in the area but, luckily it left us at 6 am and the sun broke out and went into a great day. Some of us turned a great shade of red as a result. The flea market actually looked better than last year on Sunday as they migrate to the hamfest in Albany NY.

There was a great selection of forums that unfortunately doing the flea market restricts me from attending them and I wish Sunday was just as good to go to them. Oh well! I will point out that our SEC, Bob K1YO co hosted an SEC forum with Rob Macedo and others and soon after that I was receiving many compliments on how great his part of the talk was! Bob has continued to impress. I can’t thank him enough for the effort he has done for our section. Next time you see him do the same!

On a personal note I had really one item I needed to accomplish and after 9 years finally achieved it, and that was get my Extra Class License upgrade. It’s surprising how a few pieces of paper can get someone so nerved up! But now it’s out of the way. Time to enjoy the privileges!

I do not know if it is just me, but I noticed QST has been later than normal. The last copy I got was a bit ruffled up. I did get and email from someone reporting the same. If you are getting them damaged or late, let the league know as well as myself.

One other thing, by a unanimous decision, (no one else stepped up!) I was elected to a second term as your Section Leader. So, the good thing is we can keep going on getting our section where it should be. I have a project or two in the works going on and am always looking for positions to be filled to round out our staff. Please give it a thought and join in the fun. It really is not rocket science. (Except for the tech specialists! Hi-hi)

That’s enough gab for this round. Many clubs are starting their new season. Keep me posted as to what activities are going on. Some clubs do a great job of doing that and would love to see more.

Have a great one!
73,
Ray, KB1LRL

Hello, I’m sure by now you have recovered from Field Day, tabulated your scores and feel good about what you accomplished this year. Regardless of outcome it should always have been a successful mission. Some of the clubs reported participation a little off this year. Tough to determine the reason why and it varies, but it makes me think. Are we getting older and tired? Have priorities changed? Are we bored? Tough to tell and I would say yes to all of them. We actually had 1 club that did not participate this year. I hope they will return next year. It is always best to do a after action debriefing to evaluate how the event performed and what could be improved.

One of the visits was at CMARA which is at the Aldrich Astronomy Field in Oakham. That is a great spot and it was buzzing with activity. Of course, around the “mess hall” where I found they have a killer feast there. But importantly there was a variety of activity there including satellite contact where there was over a dozen contacts made. FCARC had someone trying but this is a great thing to demonstrate to people as to what we can do with radio. Others there were trying out new antenna builds and the FT8 mode has been present at the sites also. Thanks to all who participated on a job well done by all.

Bob, K1YO has been hard at work on getting ARES put together and functioning as well. We now have a communication plan in place, and are still getting EC and DEC positions filled, but great progress is being made. Clubs can use this as some of the new hams coming in are getting their licenses largely for EMCOMM.

The July edition of QST has announced the nomination opening for the Western Mass section manager position. This is a 2-year term. In the ARRL site there are nomination instructions including a nomination signature form. I. myself am going to seek reelection, but anyone else is welcome to throw their hat into the ring.

With Field Day out of the way I am going to look at getting the Mentoring program more established and functional. I will be looking for the Tech Specialist’s to reach out to the clubs and make them more aware that this recourse is available to them and to encourage others to volunteer for this position as well.

With summer now upon us and great weather is here, it is a great time to get out there and do something radio related like contacting someone doing SOTA or IOTA, trying out a new field antenna, etc. I myself will be testing and trimming single band dipoles I have built as well as starting my trailer project. It’s not all about radio, spend time with friends and family too!

73 to all!
Ray KB1LRL

Hello fellow radio enthusiasts. I don’t about you this persistent rain thing is really getting tiring. 1 day of sun followed by 3 days of rain. It’s getting so I need a canoe to get to my tower.

Things are moving along quite nicely as the ARES staff is starting to come together, thanks to K1YO, we are now bringing on the newest appointee in Bill Fisher W1FSH as the new Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator. It is really great to see the people we appointed for ARES staffing has got very impressive resumes and will certainly be very useful in planning, executing, various activities to train and strengthen this section not only to benefit the communities we live in but to demonstrate to all we can work together and be prepared should a crisis come our way.

One of the hot topics of late is the recently revived bill(s) from the state regarding the hand’s free driving law. Eastern Mass has been watching this closely and the latest is there is wording in it exempting “Federally Licensed” radio operators which will cover us as well as everyone else licensed to operate radios. Our new division director Fred K1VR, has read it and feels comfortable with the wording. By the way, our section could use a state government liaison to observe and communicate to our elected officials of items pertaining to anything radio related. Email me if interested.

Who’s doing field day? I want to know. Any new locations? New groups? Send me the info as I do plan on the visitation tour again this year. I may also put some of it on video and take pictures for a possible project later. I had fun last year despite the driving I did. As you can tell, I have no problem visiting folks in my section!

The next event of note is Near-Fest which is this coming Friday and Saturday I really hope it is not another Soak-Fest. So far Friday may be a bit iffy and Saturday looks to be the winner. Cross your fingers!

That’s it for now. With any luck I will be visiting a club or two shortly. I have been hearing of some great presentations going on so keep it up.

Have a great May and 73!
Ray KB1LRL

Hello and welcome to Spring! (When it get’s here!) I held off the report until the hamfest was over so I can include that.

We started the month with a visit to the Hampden County Radio Association. Gil, WK1H and myself went there and presented them with a Special Service Club certificate. These are given to clubs that go above and beyond in publicity, training, technical and operating activities. Each time I go there, that meeting is buzzing with activity. This is well deserved and congratulations to them. Any club can contact Gil Hayes WK1H, our section’s Affiliated Club Coordinator, for details on applying, or what it takes to be an SSC.

A week later I was back in the area at the Mt. Tom Hamfest and time does fly there. I had the good fortune of sharing part of my table with Charlie K1II who set up an information table on ARES and RACES to promote that and answer people’s questions about what it is. Charlie had a helper in Frank, K1LMY. Both of them were busy in a mix of reacquainting with old friends and talking to people about the program. I think this was very successful and hope it can be done again next year. Thank you, Charlie and Frank, for being there and your dedication to this important part of our hobby. And yes, I did some section manager stuff and sold some things too.

I also had the opportunity to meet with Dave W1TTT, our new Berkshire Co. DEC and we discussed what we need to get ARES reintroduced to the area and getting new and renewed relationships to the area. Dave has a good idea and plan as to what needs to be done and hope the EC’s will support and assist him. Thank you, Dave, for your efforts there. I appreciate the enthusiasm you bring to it as well.

So, the recent buzz of late is the reopening of the EC-001 courses from the League. This was much anticipated and the floodgates opened. This is a revised course and is now free. I imagine as you read this you may find the course already booked, but the staff at the league is working on scheduling more courses as they need to get additional resources to accommodate the trainings. These are 9-week online courses and are mentored. If you cannot get in now, hang in there as other offerings will be available.

I do want to remind everyone that I still have a number of spots available for section staffing and would love to see some of these spots filled. I do hear there is some interest out there but there have been no inquiries. Take a moment to see if there is anything that may interest you and let me know.

That’s enough chatter for now. I look forward to seeing you at the meetings or the hamfest’s soon.

73,
Ray KB1LRL