For nearly 20 years, the US Office of Personnel Management has designated the ARRL (participant # 10099) to participate in the Combined Federal Campaign. This annual campaign for federal government civilian employees, US Postal Service workers and members of the military has generated more than $280,773 for ARRL programs since it first became an option for giving by federal employees to the League. The CFC provides an easy way to support ARRL’s effort to represent its members and all radio amateurs. [Full story]
Phil Temples, K9HI, Appointed as New England Division Vice Director
From arrl.org:
09/24/2020
ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, has appointed Phil Temples, K9HI, of Watertown, Massachusetts, as New England Division Vice Director. He succeeds Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF, who was elected earlier this year as ARRL First Vice President. President Roderick made the appointment after consulting with New England Director Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, and the region’s Section Managers.
“I want to thank all of those who forwarded their recommendations to Director Hopengarten,” Temples said. “Mike Raisbeck left some big shoes to fill. I look forward to working with Fred, and to advise and assist him with various tasks and board committee assignments. One task I’m especially eager to tackle is launching a New England Division website.”
An ARRL Life Member, Temples has been licensed for 50 years, initially as WN9EAY in Indiana. He has written articles for QST and contributed articles for the ARRL website. He also recently co-authored a chapter in the Amateur Radio Public Service Handbook.
Temples served three terms as Eastern Massachusetts Section Manager and now is an Assistant SM and an Assistant New England Division Director. He’s also held ARRL field appointments as Affiliated Club Coordinator and Public Information Officer and currently serves as program chair for the ARRL New England Division Convention.
Temples has been active in MARS, the National Traffic System, and as an Emergency Coordinator, and he enjoys CW. He holds a degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University.
Temples has actively promoted instruction and licensing and is a Volunteer Examiner under the ARRL, W5YI, and Greater Los Angeles ARG Volunteer Examiner Coordinators. He’s currently involved with New England Amateur Radio, Inc. in administering remote exam sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Temples is employed at Boston College as a computer systems administrator.
NARS QSO Party, September 26-27, 2020
The Nashua Area Radio Society is hosting a QSO Party to provide some on-air fun on Saturday, September 26 from noon to midnight ET (9/26, 16:00 UTC to 9/27, 04:00 UTC).
Check out Ham Nation this Wednesday, September 23, starting at 9 PM ET. NARS members Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, and Jim Lejoie, K1BRM, will be among the guests and will talk about the QSO party.
Blackstone Valley ARC Outdoor Volunteer Exam, Woonsocket RI, October 10, 2020
The Blackstone Valley Amateur Radio Club is holding a special outdoor event at Our Saviour’s Parish, 500 Smithfield Road (146A), Woonsocket, Rhode Island on October 10 at 9:00 AM. Pre-registration and pre-completed 605 form is preferred.
Western MA Club Speakers List
The Western Massachusetts section leadership has compiled an extensive list of club speakers and presenters, according to Section Manager Ray Lajoie, KB1LRL.
The information can be found in the Google Sheet at: <https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qLesHfit7-elLKXI-e8sQfpiKtNLCmyTirWFdALmRWE/>.
Volunteer Exam Sessions in Maine, October 2020
From http://www.arrl.org/sections/view/maine:
Saturday, October 3 9 am, Warren Sanitary District, 442 Cushing Rd (Rt 97). Look for sign at entrance, pre-registration is REQUIRED. Please call ahead spaces are filling up quick. There is a need for a few more tables. If you can bring one with you please contact trainbee@aol.com. Sponsor: PBARC, Contact: Joseph Devonshire 549-0061 trainbee@aol.com.
Saturday, October 17 6 pm, Wells Activity Center, 113 Sanford Rd, Wells. Face masks are required please bring your own mask, Email Pre-registration is required. Sponsored by the Southern ME Packet Group, Contact: Roger Pience, roger@n1xp.com 608-9635.
If you are interested in the video-supervised online exam sessions. Contact: Amanda Grimaldi, N1NHL, ARRL VEC Assistant Manager agrimaldi@arrl.org.
These are tentative dates only. Please check with the contact person before traveling to verify date, time, location and exams being offered. Bring two forms of identification, including a photo ID as well as the original and photocopies of all current FCC licenses and certificates of successful completion of exam. The photocopies will not be returned. Persons needing special accommodations should check with the contact person.
Maine QSO Party, September 26-27, 2020
The 2020 Maine QSO Party will take place on Saturday, September 26 at 1200 UTC until Sunday, September 27 at 1200 UTC.
Exchange: Stations in Maine send signal report and county. Stations outside of Maine, but within either the United States or Canada, send signal report and state/province. DX stations send signal report and “DX.”
For more information, email k1sew@arrl.net for the link. http://www.ws1sm.com/MEQP.html
Nashua Area Radio Society Receives Permission to Conduct Online Exams
The Nashua (NH) Area Radio Society VE Team has received permission by the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator to administer online exams. Their first exam session will occur at the end of their Technician Class on September 27, 2020.
Students who register for the NARS online license classes can register for the exam at the same time that they register for the class. The $15 exam fee will be collected at the time of registration. In order to take an online exam, the student must have the following:
- A Windows 7 or higher PC or recent Mac computer with a web browser and a reliable high-speed internet connection capable of supporting real-time, 2-way video.
- A computer with a working video camera, microphone, and speaker.
- The computer must be in a non-cluttered, private work area away from any bulletin boards or pinned up papers or notes.
- An internet-connected smartphone with a camera
–NARS website
HamXposition / New England ARES Academy Schedule
Updated: October 1, 2020
From ema.arrl.org:
The first-ever New England Division ARES Academy, originally scheduled for the Division Convention in November, will instead be held over a period of several weeks in October via Zoom. There are five Basic Track classes for those just getting started, and more advanced classes and workshops for those who already have the basics. One-hour classes will be held on weeknights from 7:30 to 8:30, and two-hour workshop sessions will be held Saturday mornings from 9:00 to 11:00.
A big benefit of the on-line schedule is the opportunity to take every single class and workshop instead of having to pick and choose. Weeknight class participants will be able to ask questions and interact with the instructor via chat. The two-hour Saturday workshops are designed to be even more interactive. Academy Instructors are all recognized experts in their subject area.
The NE-ARES Academy is an outgrowth of the successful NH-ARES Academy program that ran at the NH State Fire Academy for eight years. The program’s goal is to offer both basic and advanced skills training based in ARRL ARES training standards.
We plan to continue this program at the Convention once the pandemic is over, in hopes that building a standardized base of training across New England will enhance our ability to provide better local emergency communications, and an effective ARESMAT (ARES Mutual Assistance Team) response across the region, and beyond.
Academy coordinator Dave Colter, WA1ZCN, was the original editor and principal author of ARRL’s Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course series in the early 2000s, and creator of the original NH-ARES Academy. He is currently ASEC-Training for NH-ARES.
Bill Burden, WB1BRE, Silent Key
Past New England Division Director Bill Burden, WB1BRE, of Strafford, Vermont, died on July 29. An ARRL Life Member, he was 84. Burden served as ARRL New England Division Director from 1992 to 1996. Prior to that, he was New England Division Vice Director (1991 – 1992) and New Hampshire Section Manager (1985 – 1991). He served as the emergency management director for the Town of Strafford. A graduate of Lowell Tech with a degree in electrical engineering, Burden worked for Lockheed-Sanders, retiring in 1991. -ARRL Letter, September 17, 2020