New England Affiliated Club Coordinators Meeting Recap

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ARRL affiliated club logoThe NEACC (New England Affiliated Club Coordinators) met on Saturday, June 19, 2021 to discuss various items related to affiliated clubs and the ARRL field organization. 

The agenda included:

* Introductions / brief remarks – everyone
* 6/9/21 Field Org / SM Zoom Meetings Recap – Phil, K9HI
* Intro: ARRL Field Services Manager – Mike, W8ZY
* NE Division Director challenger – Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC
* Club VE teams, support to candidates – Cory, KU1U
* WBZ 100th Anniversary Special Event Operation – Larry, W1AST
* Big E Update – Larry, W1AST
* NEACC story for QST

The next tentative meeting date is July 24, 2021 from 11-12:30 PM via Zoom.

K2H, Massachusetts 13 Colonies Special Event, July 1-7, 2021

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2021 K2H QSL CardLarry Krainson, W1AST, writes:

Are you looking for that perfect, post Field Day ham radio activity? Then working the 13 Colonies special event stations is perfect for you!

Each July 1 through July 7, the 13 original colony states activate on all bands and modes for you to work them. Plus you can chase the three extra 13 Colonies stations where there is one each in Philadelphia, England and France.

This is a very fun activity. The action the first few days can create some overwhelming pile ups. If you can not get through, please be patient and try again later or another day. All the ops are trying to work everyone they can hear. They want to work you and will make every effort to do so.

If you work them all, it’s called a “clean sweep.” You can earn a certificate by sending $5 to KU2US. You can also send an SASE to each of the states to get back a unique QSL card. Each year there is a different theme and a new card is created. Combining the certificate with the QSL cards makes for some fancy wall paper!

But you can receive a certificate by working just one of the 13 colony stations. You do not need a clean sweep to get a certificate.

This year Massachusetts will be active once again as K2H. There are 20 operators all over the state. You’ll hear us on CW, SSB, FT8 and other modes. Work us and send in your SASE QSL request to the info on the K2H QRZ.com page.

Team K2H looks forward to hearing and working you on the bands between July 1 and July 7, 2021!

N1JUR: POTA Activation, Maudslay State Park K-2447, Newburyport, MA

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Today, Eric Pfiefer, N1JUR, of Merrimack, NH, activated Maudslay State Park K-2447 in Newburyport, MA for Parks On The Air. He operated on 20 meters around 14.241 MHz. “Twenty meters was difficult today. I was able to just get the park activated. Whew!”
 
Eric hopes to activate Salisbury Beach State Reserve (K-8428) tomorrow (June 18, 2021). 
 
“If anyone’s around I’ll spot myself on the POTA.app.”

Membership Query Email is NOT a Phishing Attempt, June 16, 2021

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ARRL logoEarlier today, ARRL life members received an email from the Membership Department asking them to verify that their membership ID and address information were correct.  Many people were rightfully suspicious, thinking the message was a possible phishing attempt.

ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, confirmed late this afternoon that the message was, in fact, legitimate and there was no need for concern. ARRL asks that you reply to the email with the appropriate response.

Mt. Agamenticus, K-8448, Ogunquit, ME Activated for Parks On The Air

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AB1DQ vehicle on Mt. Agamenticus for POTA activationJames Surprenant, AB1Q, writes on the Meriden ARC Facebook page:
 
Thanks to everyone who worked or tried to work my first POTA activation today at Mt. Agamenticus in Ogunquit, ME (K-8448).
 
In two hours I made 18 contacts, not stellar, but not bad. All contacts were on 40M at 7.232 MHz, running 100 watts from my mobile installed FT891 to either a Buddistick or my lip mounted ATAS-120 on the rear hatch of my MINI.
 
5 contacts were with Ontario stations, 4 were with NY operators, 2 with ME and PA stations , and 1 each with hams in DE, MD, NJ, OH and TN.
 
It was an absolutely gorgeous morning atop the mountain (well, the peak is less 1000 feet ASL, but who am I to judge?). Mega thanks to KC1NQE, NZ1J and WB8IMY for showing me the way!
 
This could become habit forming!
 
73 de AB1DQ/James

“Field Day as a Mentoring Opportunity”

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N1FD field day Get On The Air photoFred Kemmerer, AB1OC, has authored an excellent article entitled “Field Day as a Mentoring Opportunity.” 

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ARRL Field Day is upon us and I wanted to share some thoughts about the mentoring and learning opportunities that Field Day can provide. Many Clubs and other groups here in New England are planning in-person Field Day operations while practicing good COVID-19 safety procedures as we make progress on bringing COVID-19 under control in the US.

I’d like to encourage hams planning Field Day operations to consider opportunities to mentor new and experienced hams alike as part of their Field Day operations. Field Day provides us with a unique opportunity to provide mentoring and on-the-air amateur radio experiences for folks who are new to our hobby as well as those looking to learn and develop their skills. [Full article]

K1VR: “Antenna Zoning II: Principles and Preparation,” June 16, 2021

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Hey! A reminder . . .

At 2 pm ET today, Wednesday, June 16th, the ARRL Learning Network presents Part 2 in a series of six sessions on the topic of how to get a permit for an amateur radio station antenna system.

Only 13 minutes long, today’s session is entitled “Principles and Preparation.” We’ll cover TOWAIR, Radio Frequency Exposure, bylaws, and photographs, followed by a live question and answer session.

To watch, go to http://www.arrl.org/arrl-learning-network and click on

> To register for an upcoming presentation click here <

If you can’t tune in at 2 pm ET (18z) today, and you’d like to catch it later (each presentation is available about 24 hours later), click on

> To view recordings of previous sessions click here <

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ARRL New England Division
Director: Fred Hopengarten, K1VR
k1vr@arrl.org
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K1VR: “Antenna Zoning I: Permitting in a Nutshell” Debuts on ARRL Learning Network,” June 14, 2021

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Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, writes on the ARRL Members Only list:

Just as a reminder, at 2 pm ET today, Monday, June 14th, the ARRL Learning Network begins a new series of six sessions that I recorded on the topic of how to get a permit from your municipality for an amateur radio station antenna system.

The first session is entitled “Permitting in a Nutshell.” It is an overview of the process, about 18 minutes long, followed by a live question and answer session.

To watch, go to http://www.arrl.org/arrl-learning-network and click on

> To register for an upcoming presentation click here <

If you can’t tune in at 2 pm ET (18z) today, and you’d like to catch it later, click on

> To view recordings of previous sessions click here <

The Third Edition of the book “Antenna Zoning for the Radio Amateur” (I’m the author, and it writing it is what I did indoors all winter, in addition to service on the Board of Directors), goes to press today. It is published in cooperation with the ARRL. I expect it to be available from the ARRL bookstore sometime next week or a little later.

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ARRL New England Division
Director: Fred Hopengarten, K1VR
k1vr@arrl.org
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Field Day PR: “Bopping Through the Wild Blue, Amateur Radio Field Day Makes a Connection”

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The Kennebunk (ME) Press Herald carried a story on June 9 entitled, “Bopping Through the Wild Blue, Amateur Radio Field Day Makes a Connection.”
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KENNEBUNK – Interest in amateur, often called “ham” radio began at the turn of the 20th century. It was a way people could talk to each other, across town or across the world.

And although cell phones and other means of communication are very much in use, ham radio remains a popular pastime and a valuable resource.

“It can provide communications when all other systems fail – that has been proven many times during events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, etc.,” said Alex Mendelsohn of the New England Radio Discussion Society. The society will host its annual field day later this month. [Full story]