New England Traffic Handlers Facebook Group Created

blank NTS formA new joint NTS/RRI New England Traffic Handlers Facebook group has been established called “The New England Traffic Handlers.”

According to MA Section Traffic Manager Marcia Forde, KW1U, and RRI Board member James Geschwinder, N1PZP, the group will promote traffic handling activities and training across New England.  All are welcome to join.

Visit the group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/307326484575346.

KD1D Fox, Littleton, MA, November 27, 2021

Alan Hicks, KD1D, writes on NEMassFoxHunters list on November 27, 2021 at 11:33 AM:

The KD1D  RF Fox  is out for one last hunt before hibernation.  

The KD1D Fox operates on 146.565 MHz FM with an output power of about 50 milliwatts and is currently located somewhere in Littleton.  It can be heard in the area  on Route 119 /2A between Route 110 (Littleton Common) and Route 27 (where the rail trail crosses).  If you’re not familiar with the area, check out the expandable map on

https://littletonconservationtrust.org/trail-guide/

Clues:   A small three-leaved plant and one of the Disney chipmunks.

73 and good hunting de KD1D Alan

The trail may be a bit wet in spots.  Boots are advised.

Hidden Transmitter, Agawam/Feeding Hills, MA Vicinity, November 25, 2021

Hampden Co RA logoChris Thornton, W1TRK, writes on the WMAFoxHunters list:
 
Attention All Foxhunters!
 
The [Hampden County Radio Association] foxbox #2 has escaped its den and has gone into hiding AGAIN!
 
FB #2 is transmitting on 147.550 Mhz with a PL of 151.4. You can activate FB #2 by depressing the DTMF key #1. A short depress will activate it if you are close enough. FB2 is transmitting at 1 watt into a tall ducky antenna.
 
The location is in a publicly accessible area with some nearby parking and can be heard along RT.57 in Agawam/Feeding Hills.
 
This is a good opportunity for base stations to get in on the fun. If you can hear the fox please give its signal strength and direction if possible.  Please do not reveal its location, just a location where you can hear it from, this then becomes a starting point for the other fox hunters to use. It’s just as important for the hunters to know where it CANNOT be heard as well as where it CAN be heard!

Incumbent Western MA Section Manager Declared Elected for New Term

ARRL logo

Congratulations to Western Massachusetts Incumbent Section Manager Ray Lajoie, AA1SE (ex-KB1LRL) who faced no opposition and was declared elected for a new two-year term beginning January 1, 2022. The full announcement from ARRL Bulletin 028 follows:

Fall ARRL Section Manager Election Results

The only contested seat for Section Manager (SM) in the Fall election cycle was in Kansas, where incumbent Ron Cowan, KB0DTI, of La Cygne, came out on top in the two-person race. Cowan outpolled challenger Lloyd Colston, of Arkansas City, 260 to 225. Ballots were counted on November 23 at ARRL Headquarters. Cowan has served as Kansas Section Manager since 2003. His new 2-year term will begin on January 1, 2022.

In Alabama, Roger Parsons, KK4UDU, of Mulga, will become the new Section Manager on January 1. Parsons was the only nominee for the position. He has been an Assistant Section Manager and a District Emergency Coordinator. Incumbent SM JVann Martin, W4JVM, who has served as the Alabama Section Manager since 2016, decided not to run for a new term.

In Michigan, Les Butler, W8MSP, of Gregory, will become the new Section Manager of Michigan when the new year arrives. He was the only nominee to submit a petition by the nomination deadline. Butler will succeed incumbent Michigan Section Manager Jim Kvochick, K8JK, whose job will take him out of the state early next year. Kvochick has been Michigan SM since 2018.

In Delaware, the Section Manager position remains open and a re-solicitation for nominees will be issued this winter for an 18-month term beginning on July 1, 2022. No nominating petitions were submitted before the deadline in September. Incumbent Section Manager Mark Stillman, KA3JUJ, is moving out of the Section early next year and could not run for another term after serving as Delaware SM since 2020.

These incumbent Section Managers faced no opposition and were declared elected for new terms: David Stevens, KL7EB (Alaska); Mike Patterson, N6JGA (East Bay); Bill Mader, K8TE (New Mexico); John Kitchens, NS6X (Santa Barbara); David Thomas, KM4NYI (Tennessee), and Raymond Lajoie, AA1SE (Western Massachusetts).

Maine Section Elmer/Mentor List

Maine iconPhil Duggan, N1EP, writes:

I am building a statewide Elmer/Mentoring list so that hams or prospective hams can seek advice or assistance in order to get on the air or licensed. If you would like to represent your town, county, or district, please send an email to Phil Duggan, N1EP email  – We need a strong Elmer Program to follow up with VE teams and clubs. If you are an experienced ham that would be comfortable with sharing your knowledge or could help put the person in contact with those that can help, then PLEASE become an Elmer!

73 de Phil Duggan, N1EP

Assistant Section Manager
Maine ARRL District 3

WX1GYX QRV for 2021 SKYWARN Recognition Day, December 4, 2021

SKYWARN Recognition Day logoFrom New England SKYWARN Net Facebook page, WS1SM Ham Radio Blog:

For 22 years, SKYWARN™ Recognition Day, developed jointly by the National Weather Service and the American Radio Relay League, celebrates the contributions that volunteer SKYWARN™ radio operators make to the National Weather Service.

Similar to last year, because of COVID-19 restrictions, ham operators will not have access to the NWS Gray facility, but we encourage you to take turns activating the WX1GYX call sign, either from your home stations, portable, or mobile, during the event.

If you’d like to use the WX1GYX call sign during SRD, please click here to sign up for a time/band slot. We hope to have at least one operator from each of the counties in the NWS Gray, Maine Weather Forecast area, so spread the word!

Participants are asked to log contacts in an electronic logging program, such as N1MM, and submit to kb1hnz@yahoo.com in an ADIF format.

During the periods that you’re not using the WX1GYX call sign, operators may also use their personal call signs to exchange their name, SRD number (which can be obtained here) and current weather conditions with other participating stations.

The event website provides complete operating guidelines, including the suggested exchange. SRD is a fun on-air activity that feels very much like a contest, but its informal. There’s no rules or band limitations. You can even use repeaters!

73,

Tim Watson
KB1HNZ

Whitman (MA) ARC to Operate at Plimoth Patuxet, November 27-28, 2021

Whitman ARC logoFrom ema.arrl.org:

Members and friends of the Whitman Amateur Radio Club in Whitman, Massachusetts, will operate amateur radio at the Plimoth Patuxet [formerly known as Plimoth Plantation]. Setup time is scheduled for 10 AM on Friday, November 26. The group will operate on Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM to 3 PM.

“We really need anyone who is going to please email us this weekend the days and times you can be there,” writes WARC president Bob Azanow, WA1Q. “I would like to submit the schedule to Plimoth Patuxet on Monday [November 22].”

 

 

ARRL Announces Director Election Results

ARRL logo11/19/2021–The ARRL New England and Roanoke Divisions will have new Directors on January 1. The results of these three-way contested elections for Director were announced on November 19, after ballots were tallied at ARRL Headquarters.

In the New England Division, incumbent Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, received 1,054 votes, past Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI, received 1,026 votes, and challenger Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, received 1,147 votes. Mr. Kemmerer was declared the winner.

In the Roanoke Division, incumbent George W. “Bud” Hippisley, W2RU, received 809 votes, past Director Dr. Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, received 1,612 votes, and challenger Marvin Hoffman, WA4NC, received 1,294 votes. Dr. Boehner was declared the winner.

All newly elected officials take office at noon on January 1, 2022.