Licensing Education & Training

From the Hampden County (MA) Radio Association ZERO BEAT, January 2024:

Most likely, if you’re reading this, you already have your license and know all the fun and excitement that your very first amateur radio technician class license has brought you.

If you know of anyone who is interested in achieving this goal in life, have them register using the link be- low and fill out the form to get their name on the list for this FREE technician license class next January.

The list of applicants is filling up quickly, so don’t wait too long to get your name or the name of the person who wants to get their license on the form by following the link below and filling out the required information. Choose between in person classes or online Zoom classes!

This class is free; you are only required to buy the license manual. Register using the form found by clicking on the link below.

Register today by visiting: <https://hcra.org/licensing-classes/>.

[The class starts the second Saturday in January and will continue for four weeks and one week of review. The sessions will be from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM.]

Alan Dove, AB1XW, has released a new game for learning or practicing Morse code. The free game combines several different training options into a single, minimalist control panel. An HTML version that runs in most modern browsers is available, or users can download native versions for Windows, Mac, or Linux to play offline.

The default starting mode uses the popular Koch method for learning the code from scratch, sending characters at 22 words per minute but introducing them one at a time. Once a player is comfortable receiving the current character set, they can adjust the game level to add another character. The game will also level up automatically when the player is receiving the current characters consistently with at least 90% accuracy.

For intermediate and advanced users who already know the code, there are three modes that send random words from different lists. Players can also turn the speed up or down, adjust the audio tone, or randomize the tone so each new character or group gets sent at a different pitch.

All versions, and a full description of the game’s controls and options, can be found at https://radiovoice.itch.io/less-is-morse.

Alan, AB1XW is a member of the Hampden County Radio Association and lives in Longmeadow, MA with his family. He’s been a ham for over 30 years.

The Nashua Area Radio Society (NARS) will host their Ham Bootcamp program on November 11, 2023, from 10 AM to 6 PM ET. This program includes a series of online demonstrations and tutorials designed to help newly licensed Technician, General, and Amateur Extra class license holders get on the air. It’s available to all licensed and prospective amateur radio operators.

Visit NARS’s Ham Bootcamp program web page to register and for additional information.

From Western MA ARRL Members List:

The Western Mass Train and Test Team will be having a VE session on Saturday August 5 at 10 AM at the Gardner Police Station, 200 Main St. Please have positive ID, 15 dollars, and FRN number from the FCC. Bring copy of license if upgrading. Please pass this along to those interested in taking the test.

Any questions contact aa1se@arrl.org. Thanks.

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ARRL Western Massachusetts Section
Section Manager: Raymond P Lajoie, AA1SE
aa1se@arrl.org
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