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NEAR-Fest XXX Health and Safety Guidelines
As we get ready to return to Deerfield NH in a couple days to resume our beloved hamfest that we have all missed so much for two years it is obvious that there are some fundamental precautions we must institute in order to be in full compliance with all CDC, State and Town Departments of Public Health guidelines. We do not want to wear out our welcome. NEAR-FEST IS SAFE FOR ALL must be our motto!
It is our hope that everyone will have been vaccinated. However we realize that not everyone will be. If you have not had your shots please take extra care: wear a mask especially inside and use hand sanitizer often. We don’t want anyone getting sick at our event.
The State of New Hampshire does not currently have a mask mandate so neither does NEAR-Fest. However, we have some common sense requests and recommendations because we want everybody to feel safe at our hamfest:
1: We are strongly requesting that everyone wear a mask or face shield while inside the commercial buildings, when attending forums and when at the exam session. Masks will be available at the entrance to these buildings but it is advisable to bring your own as well. We are also strongly requesting that all attendees wear a mask when buying or presenting your admission ticket or otherwise interacting with any of our staff members.
2: Our staff volunteers have expressed some concerns and we want them to feel comfortable helping us run the fester. Remember we cannot do the hamfest without them. They did not volunteer to get Covid. Many of them aren’t the young healthy kids we once were and have serious concerns about covid either personally or with immediate family members. We are requesting that everyone put aside all political and personal views about mask wearing and wear them where we have requested out of respect for the dedicated volunteers who run this event.
We are committed to keeping everyone safe and this request from me is part of this commitment.
3: The use of hand sanitizer is advised especially after handling any items in the flea market and commercial buildings. We will have hand sanitizer in automatic dispensers as well as masks available at the entrances to the buildings.
Additionally, we ask that all attendees attempt to maintain a distance of six feet (or two metres) from others as much as possible and avoid crowding others at flea market and commercial vendor tables. I know this is difficult especially if there is “good stuff cheap”.
These are still difficult and trying times. We are glad to be back running the hamfest again but the world has changed in the past 18 months and we must change with it. We appreciate your cooperation which is particularly important because we want to continue holding the hamfest while assuring the local community that we pose a minimal health threat with our presence.
HELP MAKE NEAR-FEST SAFE FOR ALL!
Stay well!
MisterMike, W1RC, and the entire NEAR-Fest gang
New England Sci-Tech ARS Crew to Participate in JOTA, Lexington (MA), October 16, 2021
With Bruce [N9JBT], Mindy [KM1NDY], and Marc’s help (and flyers from Rusty and Bob), we are hosting a Jamboree On The Air for scouts in Lexington. We will have several radios out and will be making contacts and educating scouts about amateur radio. We would be very happy to see you there!
https://www.jotajoti.info/
Lexington Visitor Center lawn, Lexington, MA
Saturday Oct 16
Scouts are coming from 1-4 and we start set up around 11 – STARS friends are welcome any time!
73,
Tate, K1MKD
Jamboree On The Air Operation, Enfield, NH, October 15-17, 2021
Ray Chaffee, WA1ORT, writes on the Twin State Radio Club mailing list:
I am looking for operators for the weekend. I plan on operations starting on Friday at 7:00 PM until Sunday at 10 AM. Operations subject to band openings.
I hope to have at least 3 HF and DMR stations. I would like to do a fox hunt on Saturday if I have enough help.
We will be at La Salette on Route 4A in Enfield, NH.
Ray WA1ORT
Wadsworth Falls State Park (CT) Activated for POTA, October 11, 2021
Greater Bridgeport (CT) ARC Parks On The Air Event, October 16, 2021
GBARC Parks on the Air
16 October 2021 – 9am to 5pm
GBARC will hold a multi-station Parks on the Air event that will see us setting up stations in four State Parks. The parks include:
- Sherwood Island SP (Park K-1715)
- Silver Sands SP (Park K-1716)
- Osbornedale SP (Park K-1709)
- West Rock SP (Park K-1727) (2 stations)
The goal is to provide some community outreach for ham radio, and to help train our new operators. We will divide our efforts into four teams who will each take four parks.
During the POTA Event we will be participating in the CT ARES Simulated Emergency Test. During the SET we will be using simplex VHF/UHF as well as DMR for contacts.
Multiple Foxes to Hunt, Norwich CT, October 9, 2021
Mark Noe, KE1IU, writes on the ctfoxhunter list on October 9, 2021 at 9:12 AM:
NEAR-Fest Is October 15-16, 2021
Michael Crestohl, W1RC, writes:
Attention All Units! NEAR-Fest XXX is Next Weekend… We Are Back Live and Online!
Fox On the Loose, Bedford, NH, October 9, 2021
Wayne Grant, KB1HYL, writes on the Granite State ARA list on October 8, 2021 at 10:41 PM:
Since I probably won’t be able to send an email after I set the fox loose, I’ll give you the important information now. (I’ll be going to the Saturday breakfast.) I plan on setting the fox out around 7:00 or 7:30 in the morning. I’ll be calling it a day around 5:30 or 6:00 PM. It will be located somewhere in the Earl Legacy Park, Bedford. The frequency is 146.565.
I will provide a small notebook to enter your name, call sign and the date/time that you find the fox. If you don’t find it, don’t bother filling it out. ;^) But seriously, enjoy the hunt.
73
Wayne – KB1HYL
NH Winter SKYWARN Training Posted
Winter SKYWARN virtual classes have been scheduled. They are listed on our SKYWARN website at: https://www.weather.gov/gyx/skywarn under Training Schedule.
Wayne W. Santos
N1CKM
SEC
NH ARES
n1ckm@arrl.net