Serving ARRL members who reside in the New England sections
Phil Temples 
via ema.arrl.org:
Massachusetts Section Traffic Manager Marcia Forde, KW1U, will again be the featured guest on Ham On!, simulcast on Pittsfield Community Television and WTBR-FM 89.7. The early morning program is produced and moderated by Western MA Assistant Section Traffic Manager Peter Mattice, KD2JKV. Marcia will speak about the ARRL National Traffic System and message handling.
The Eastern MA Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) will conduct an exercise in conjunction with the Cape Cod ARES exercise Operation “Frozen Days” on February 6, 2021 from 10 AM to 12 Noon (setup to start at 830-9 AM where needed) to test its capability in establishing communications with stations inside and outside of the section. Operation “Frozen Days” will attempt to build upon the lessons learned from past operational exercises.
The exercise scenario involves a series of coastal storms battering Cape Cod and the Islands with winds over 90 MPH over several storms. Eventually, hundreds of thousands of people in Eastern Massachusetts are left without power due to this series of coastal storms. [Full story]
Amateurs from across New England are braving record cold temperatures this weekend to participate in the annual Winter Field Day event–like Jay Hoisington, KB1RZA, who writes on the Connecticut Valley FM Association list:
“Any Brave souls going to set up for Winter Field Day 2021? I plan on taking a stab at 1-O , battery power this afternoon. I’ll be heading out to set up in awhile. It is going to be a chilly one. It is an Even 0.0 F here on top of the hill right now. A bit of an improvement from -4 F at 5:30AM this morning. Wind chill advisory until 11AM. Wind is calm here for the moment but forecasted to be N-NW at 5-10MPH. Bundle up!”
GBARC President Emily Clarke, N1DID, writes:
This weekend is Winter Field Day, and all GBARC members are eligible to participate from their home QTH. All hams from Extra to Technician can make contacts and contribute to the overall GBARC Score on many different bands and modes.
I’ve done a complete write-up and you can read all you need to know to get started on the GBARC Winter Field Day page.
I am also offering to loan my Xeigu G-90 and a 40m dipole that will let you get on 40 and 15 meters. If you are a technician and adventurous you can use this radio to try out operating CW. Contact me if you are interested in borrowing it – first come first served.
Winter Field Day starts tomorrow at 2pm local time, and will run through 2pm on Sunday.
Cheers,
Emily N1DID
Eastern MA Section Emergency Coordinator and ARES SKYWARN Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY, will present on “Interesting Stories about Ham Radio & Weather Spotting” on the ARRL Learning Network on Tuesday, February 11, 2021 at 8 PM EST (0100 UTC on Friday, February 12). To register, visit <https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1360666941733861134>.
“One of the most critical ways amateur radio supports agencies such as the National Weather Service (NWS), National Hurricane Center (NHC), and emergency management is through weather spotting via the NWS SKYWARN program. This presentation reviews some interesting stories about how amateurs involved in SKYWARN have saved lives and property and why this is an important amateur radio activity.”
Sean McGrath, W1SMM writes:
RI ARES Winter Field Day
Saturday January 30th and Sunday January 31st
Lincoln Woods State Park
Main Beach Parking Lot.
Address: 2 Les Pawson Loop, Lincoln, RI 02865
Saturday: Set-up starting at 10am. After set-up, we will operate as a Parks on the Air Station K-2878 until the official start of Winter Field Day at 2pm. We will run as the Winter Field Day Station until the Park Closes around sunset.
Sunday: Set-up starting at 9am. After set-up, we will operate as the Winter Field Day Station until 2pm, which is the official end of Winter Field Day. We can then continue operating as a Parks on the Air Station K-2878 until the park closes around sunset.
Email w1smm@arrl.net to advise what day/time you will arrive, and how long you will stay.
New England Division Director Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, writes:
The hearing on the NH HB 313 bill yesterday [see “New Hampshire H.B. 313 Initial Committee Hearing, January 26, 2021“] made it plain that I should collect NH Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) from people who live in homeowner association communities or condos.
Can you send me your PDF or Word version of CC&Rs from NH? I need as many as possible, to show the Commerce Committee how ridiculous they can be.
Here’s one excerpt I saw yesterday (but I want complete versions):
“4. Transmission antennas are prohibited.”
Think about that. It bans cell phones, baby monitors, garage door openers, and 2 m HTs!
Can you help me round up some CC&Rs from NH?
Fred Hopengarten, Esq. K1VR
Six Willarch Road
Lincoln, MA 01773
781.259.0088
k1vr@arrl.org
Nick Mollo, KC1DKY, writes:
UPDATE: Former N.H. Rep. Bill Ohm, W1OHM, writes:
“Nice work on getting 100 hams to go on the record in support. This is very unusual in committee and got noticed. … I think the committee decision will weigh the value of having trained radio operators ready to be deployed in an emergency. The large number of hams submitting their support reinforces their interest in public service. … I expect the bill will be referred to a subcommittee to work on the concerns. If a quick comprise can be reached, then they can draft a committee amendment for that compromise and send it to the full House for a vote. Otherwise it will be retained in committee for work later in the year (best case) or simply voted out of committee as ITL, Inexpedient to Legislate. It will then be voted down by the full Legislature in quick order.”
This bill would allow:
• Antennas similar or identical to those for satellite TV dishes, broadcast TV, or broadband internet.
• Single wire or minimally visible antennas,
• Antennas raised only in darkness,
• Antennas no higher than 33 feet (i.e., lower than the roof line), and
• The use of a flag pole as an antenna.
It would only allow antennas on land where the homeowner already has the\ right to exclude others, and it requires safe construction, with municipal approval.
Here’s the procedure to testify in favor of the Amateur Radio bill, HB 313, being heard in the Commerce Committee today.
Go to this link: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/house/committees/remotetestimony/default.aspx
• Select the date of the hearing as January 26
• Select the committee as “Commerce” (first pick)
• Select the bill, H.B. 313
• Select “I am a member of the public”
• Select, “I am representing myself”
• Indicate your position, “I support this bill”
• Enter name, phone, and email
Decide if you want to testify (not required). If you do, speak for no more than one minute. It’s OK to just say it’s important for emergency communications to be able to communicate, and you need a simple antenna for that. And that antenna is now prohibited.
SUBMIT THE FORM BEFORE 12:30 PM TODAY. This puts your position into the public record.
It’s very important to show support from the amateur radio community. A similar bill has been in Committee before, and has died for lack of sufficient support. Consequently the Committee will be skeptical. Opponents, like the CAI (condo association lobby) will show up and testify against this bill.
Sincerely,
Fred Hopengarten, K1VR
ARRL Director
New England Division
Phil Temples, K9HI
ARRL Vice Director
New England Division
From ema.arrl.org:“The Amateur Radio community, students, scanner enthusiasts, space fans and others have been eagerly awaiting the launch of the most novel satellite ever to orbit Earth. SuitSat-1 will transmit its voice message “This is SuitSat-1 RS0RS!” in several languages plus telemetry and an SSTV image on an eight-minute cycle as it orbits Earth. The three batteries powering the satellite are expected to last about a week, and SuitSat-1 should re-enter Earth’s atmosphere after several weeks of circling the globe. and SuitSat-1 has piqued the imagination of the news media over the past couple of weeks. In addition to articles in The New York Times, the Houston Chronicle and Associated Press, National Public Radio, Fox News, CNN, Readers Digest, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, MSNBC and others also produced broadcast or cable news reports. A magazine article is set to appear in Aviation Week and Space Technology.”
https://io9.gizmodo.com/an-astronaut-has-an-unwelcome-and-possibly-undead-visit-1846085578.
-Thanks, Rosalie White, K1STO, ARRL ARISS US Delegate