New England QSO Party

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The New England QSO Party will be held on May 6th and 7th.  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 2021 results are posted and the results since 2002 are also available here.

Groton Road Race

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Greetings all,

The Groton Road Race has a new course for 2023. The race is scheduled for May 7 and this weekend I received official word that Amateur Radio support is again requested by the Race Committee and Groton Police Department. This is short notice, but we’re all prepared for “emergency” service are we not?!

The 2023 5k and 10k courses both start and finish on the grounds of the newly opened Groton Hill Music Center at 122 Old Ayer Road. The runners will exit Groton Hill Music Center and head south on Old Ayer Road, across Smith St to Culver Rd then north to Farmers Row. Along Farmers Row the 5k and 10k will take different paths to eventually return to Groton Hill Music Center.

The planned event schedule this year is similar to 2022; the two main races will start shortly after 10am. The communications support that we provide is expected to start around 9am and we should be done shortly after 1pm.

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 previous years know that the runners sincerely appreciate our presence. Many say so as they run past. This event is so large that Police Departments and other public safety organizations from several communities come to assist the Groton PD. Part of our role is to provide the communications from the Groton Police to these out-of-town officers who come to help with this event.

Contributing to the public good is one of the reasons Amateur Radio exists. Our public service events are a key opportunity for us to show our colors, volunteer our skills and equipment, and demonstrate why it is in the public’s interest to continue to allocate precious RF spectrum to our the Amateur Radio Service. The Groton Road Race is a low-stress event and a great way to gain more experience with the public service aspect of amateur radio. Please consider joining us on the 28th.

If you are a new Ham or know of another Ham who is interested in helping at these events but unsure of what is expected or what equipment may be needed, please do not hesitate to introduce the to me.

The Groton Road Race Committee and the Groton Police Department repeatedly praise and express their appreciation for our assistance in providing communications for this event for many years. I do hope you will be able to join us this year; please let me know.

Thanks and 73,
Ralph KD1SM
ralph@kd1sm.net

[1] http://www.n1nc.org/Events/
[2] http://grotonroadrace.com/
[3] https://grotonhill.org/

W1AW/1 Massachusetts Volunteers On The Air a Great Success!

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The Massachusetts Volunteers On The Air was held from April 12th through April 18th. Team VOTA MA consisted of 15 hams contributing to a total of 9449 QSOs. It was a team effort and everyone contributed!

I would like to thank the following 15 hams for their part in the MA Spring VOTA effort. They made it a success!

  • AB1UT
  • AF1R
  • AG1C
  • K1NZ
  • K1UR
  • KJ0D (operating remotely thru K1TTT)
  • KX1X
  • N1FTP
  • N1MGO
  • N1SOH
  • W1AST
  • W1FJ
  • W1FM
  • WA1OEZ
  • WA3SWJ

There were plenty of pileups in all the modes including FTx, CW and SSB right up to the last minute of operation.

Massachusetts next gets activated again for VOTA the first week of November. If your transmitter is in MA and you would like to join the team, contact Larry, W1AST at W1AST@arrl.net.

World Amateur Radio Day is April 18

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WARD is held on April 18 every year and is celebrated by radio amateurs and their national associations which are organized as member-societies of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). It was on this day in 1925 that the IARU was formed in Paris. American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Co-Founder Hiram Percy Maxim was its first president.

The IARU announced previously that Human Security for All (HS4A) will be this year’s World Amateur Radio Day theme. The day is being celebrated with a 2-week operating event occurring April 11 – 25. Special event stations will be operating from around the world, making two-way radio contacts to call attention to the HS4A campaign. The United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security describes ‘human security’ as “a more powerful, lasting approach to the most difficult deficits in peace and development,” such as poverty, war, and natural disasters.

ARRL encourages all radio amateurs to take to the airwaves for WARD, to enjoy our global friendship with other amateurs, and to show our skills and capabilities to the public.

More information about 2023 World Amateur Radio Day is available at www.arrl.org/world-amateur-radio-day and www.iaru.org/on-the-air/world-amateur-radio-da

Massachusetts Volunteers On The Air Week

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Massachusetts is ready and anxious to work everyone for it’s Spring VOTA (Volunteers On The Air) week starting Wednesday, April 12th and going through Tuesday, April 19th.

We have a team of 17 ops that will be operating on all bands on multiple modes. We even have hams located in “other” states remoting through transmitters located in Massachusetts through K1TTT and some other stations.

We will be operating as W1AW/1 and per VOTA rules, each contact will be worth 5 points. Those of the team ops that have Field or other positions may also be running their own call alongside the W1AW/1 to give you additional points as well. For example, if I am operating I can also run as my own call W1AST and not only give you the state W1AW/1 5 points contact but a 30 point contact as well. this is up to each VOTA MA op if they decide to do so.

All the points are calculated via LOTW submissions. There are no paper logs and no physical QSL cards, it’s all done via LOTW.

Watch for the spots being posted and find W1AW/1 and work us. I hope to hear you on the air!

73,

Larry, W1AST
VOTA MA Manager

New WMA Amateurs from March 2023

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Please welcome the recently licenses amateur radio operators in the WMA section!

John W Fitzsimmons, KC1STE
27 Lawnwood St
Agawam, MA 01001-3558

Robert J Hunt, KC1STB
792 Bay Rd
Amherst, MA 01002-3544

John M Lapaire, KC1SPV
112 N Maple St
Hadley, MA 01035-9614

Donald A Lafountain, KC1SOY
82 Bliss St
Florence, MA 01062-2606

Margaret E Lafountain, KC1SPJ
82 Bliss St
Florence, MA 01062-2606

Theodore W Matthias, KC1SOQ
PO Box 13
Southampton, MA 01073-0013

Ryan A McKinster, KC1SPD
16 Bardwell St Apt 2
South Hadley, MA 01075-2502

Sean M Callahan, KC1SPU
39 Alquat St
Westfield, MA 01085-4901

Mark T Crowe, KC1SOP
40 New Broadway
Westfield, MA 01085-5107

Sascha Cameron, KC1SNR
202 Bradford St
Pittsfield, MA 01201-4565

Charles J Audette, AC1OQ
13 Southbrook Ln
Pittsfield, MA 01201-9119

Dennis T Croughwell, KC1SPN
545 Main St
Dalton, MA 01226-1611

Joseph P Kopera, KC1SRI
PO Box 95
Shelburne Falls, MA 01370-0095

Peter Kruskall, KC1SRV
32 Sawyer Ln
Harvard, MA 01451-1237

Ross D Jones, KC1SSD
155 W Bare Hill Rd
Harvard, MA 01451-1626

David Tarantino, KC1SPQ
6 Jonathan Ave
Millbury, MA 01527-3949

Jonathan A Yoffe, KC1SRU
185 West St
Uxbridge, MA 01569-2004

George H Kocyan, KC1SRE
PO Box 52
Whitinsville, MA 01588-0052

Rachel A Phillips, AC1OS
49 Maple St
Milford, MA 01757-3650

Ross D Keogh, AC1OY
49 Maple St
Milford, MA 01757-3650

Section Manager Report April 2023

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Ahhhhh….Spring! May it last a long time. At least for 3 months! I’m sure you are looking outside and writing up the list of repairs, cleanup, tree cutting, etc. especially from the most recent storm. I kind of embarrassed myself when I could not assist in storm reporting as my power went out for 12 hours and no backup was in place. Lesson learned. I also have antennas to fix and battery power re-installed and mobile set up. I’ll be busy.

Mixed in with the list of to-do’s is that toward the end of the month I will be having surgery in Worcester and will be sidelined for a couple of weeks at least. I will do whatever I can parked in front of a PC but emails may be delayed.

A busy month is in store as activities are ramping up. First of all, the VOTA W1AW/1 Massachusetts event is April 12. There are spots available if you are interested in operating. You can do it as a group or by yourself and any mode. Contact Larry, W1AST at w1ast@arrl.net to sign up. Let’s all have some fun and make the state proud! Speaking of Larry, he is also heading up the upcoming Big E event once again and is looking for volunteers now. Planning is now heating up as you may know as this takes a lot of time to line up everything to cover a 16-day event. I will be doing what I can and I hope you and your club can help as well. Let Larry know to volunteer.

April 28 and 29 is our favorite, Near-Fest at the Deerfield NH Fairgrounds. I have enjoyed going there and lately have been challenged getting there recently. I hope you can get out there and enjoy the area, the people and the food.

March 28 I will be kicking off the WMA Train and Test Extra class course. This is one that does not get taught a lot as it is a large undertaking. This course has actually went national and many (69 signups to date) around the country have signed up. Our teaching is actually done by a group so it is taught by those who are subject matter experts and the others can chime in to provide “color comments”. There is a need for a few volunteers to help teach the classes. This is on Zoom and you do not have to be on every session. If you are interested contact me and I can provide further information.

Field Day planning is ramping up within the clubs and one of the challenges I have been hearing about is having participants to help in setting up, take down and various other functions. The natural reason for one is those that have been doing it year to year is they are getting on in years. One thing that can help is breaking out from the norm and trying something different that makes it easier. Using this as a promotional tool to attract hams and non-hams alike. Getting the word out beyond the club can help as well.

That’s it for this month. I hope you get outside and enjoy Spring and while your at it bust out some gear and get some Q’s in your log.

See you soon!
Ray-AA1SE

Big E 2023 Here We Come!

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Greetings All,

We’re hard at work getting things into place for this year’s Big E. For 2023 it runs Sept 15 to Oct 1. The booth has been reserved, insured, the paperwork signed, and bills paid.

 A few of us have been talking about making some changes to make the booth more approachable to the public, more visible and more welcoming. 

We’re reducing the number of people in the booth per session to 3 instead of 4 to 6. We’re removing the special event station which removes the need for internet and an op. The space will be used differently. We hope to make the displays; other than the morse code keys; more hands-on and accessible.

We’re in the midst of applying for another ARDC grant. The application will be completed by April1 with the hopes of getting another grant and being able to reimburse everyone for admission and parking costs. Those are the two largest costs of the booth.

Also, we will put in place a much better sign up and data collection method. We had a few issues with the data collected last year and must fix that this year.

In April, we will start the planning meetings. The zoom link will be posted here.

For now, we are looking for clubs and individuals to sign up and volunteer. Without you all who volunteer, the booth will fail, so please volunteer. Here is the sign up for link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScvo1vUzuuJTHbTtDLeApQQD1m4ZzX9kVe_hF2416e6apho3g/viewform

If you can not click the link, please copy and paste it into your browser.

Thank you for your volunteering and help to make The Bog E Booth a BIG SUCCESS this year!

73,
—

Larry Krainson – W1AST

  • Project Big E Organizer 2022 and 2023
  • ARRL WMA ACC
  • HCRA President – HCRA.org 
  • 13 Colonies MA State Manager (K2H) – Ask to be an op!
  • Proud Member of: ARRL, FCARC & YCCC

Western MA Train & Test Group Amateur Extra Class Begins March 28, 2023

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Amateur radio "action" photos for Western MA Train & Test Group

The Western MA Train & Test Group invites you to a FREE on-line course so that you, too, can upgrade to the Amateur Extra class license.

The free on-line Zoom classes will start Tuesday, March 28, 2023. Classes will be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM.

QR code for Western MA Train & Test Amateur Extra Course

Sign up at: https://forms.gle/6KT2PCGFnibQdDDF7

Questions? Contact Ray Lajoie via email at ray.aa1se@gmail.com.

Talk to the World with your Upgrade to Amateur Extra Class HF Operating Privileges

Ask Us How!