ARES Exercise "Summer Strike"

FARA members participated in the summer ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) exercise "Summer Strike" on August 2, 2025  Operations were conducted from the Falmouth EOC (Emergency Operations Center) at the Main Street Falmouth Fire Station and from the Falmouth Field site, setup using the FARA communications trailer.

Operations were conducted on VHF-FM, HF-SSB, and digital modes.  Another successful ARES exercise demonstrating the capability of amateur radio to provide communication during an emergency.

Photos courtesy of Frank-WQ1O and Martha-K1VJ.

FARA Activates Nobska Lighthouse

 

National Lighthouse Day, was on August 7 this year.  It commemorates the day in 1789 when the U.S. Congress passed an act supporting lighthouses, beacons, buoys, and public piers.  

A group of FARA members activated Falmouth's Nobska Light, USA 550, using the callsign W1NOB.  The Friends of Nobska Light conducted lighthouse tours and children's activities.

FARA members Henry-K1WCC and Chris-WA1CMR, operated the station. Steve KC1TMJ, Gene KX1C and Jeremy WA1JRC also participated.

They put up two antennas and operated voice on 20 and 40 meters from 10:00 to 14:00.  The bands were quiet, and only one contact was made. 

The crew did have a fun time chatting about the history of Nobska and ham radio with the folks visiting the lighthouse for tours and the other special events being held for National Lighthouse Day.

 

UPDATE: Technician License Class

Falmouth Amateur Radio Association (FARA) is offering an amateur radio license class in September.   Details of the class are shown below.  

Technician Class License Course:

Class Dates: Sept. 19 - 21, 2025

Class Schedule:

Friday: Sept. 19, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Saturday: Sept. 20,  8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday:  Sept. 21, 8:00 AM – Noon, Lunch break and Test Session

(Please sign up by September 4th, to receive your study guides and materials in time for you to properly prepare for the class.)

Exam: Sunday, Sep. 21 after class

Location: Falmouth Fire Station, Main Street, 2nd Floor, EOC Room

Text: Provided

Course Fee: $50

The course fee includes the following:

1) Fifteen hours of classroom instruction
2) ARRL Course Manual
3) Online test practice and tutoring
4) Refreshments
5) Access to instructors for questions & tutoring
6) License exam
7) 1-year membership with FARA
8) Admission to the next FARA Fest
9) VHF/UHF handheld radio (if the student passes the examination).

This is a great value for anyone seeking to get their license, as the total cost of the individual items is well over $100.

Contact Charlie Bresnahan, K1CB via email at: kilo1cb@aol.com for further information.  See https://www.falara.org/exams-classes/license-classes for complete details.

Paul White Road Race Comm Support

FARA volunteers supplied communications and medical support for the 46th Annual Paul White Road Race in North Falmouth. This is a new volunteer opportunity for FARA. Held every July, the 4.81-mile race begins and ends on Chester Street between North Falmouth Library and Megansett Park (the site of the market owned by Paul White and his wife, Audrey, for many years). This race was created to commemorate local legend Paul White.  The Race is the main fundraiser for the North Falmouth Village Association. The monies raised will be used to fund NFVA operating costs and four college scholarships for North Falmouth graduating seniors.

FARA members Mel-K1ELB, Barry-KB1TLR, Ralph-N1YHS, Jeremy-WA1JRC, Matt-KB1MLP, Tim-W1TCD, Chris-WA1CMR, Tegan-KC1VOS, Henry-K1WCC, Alden-K1IZB, Phil-KB1DOS, and Glen-KC1GKT volunteered to assist with the event.  Mel and Alden worked with the Medical Team.  Phil and Glen did double duty with both Communications and Medical.

Some photos and a video clip of the event follow:

Field Day 2025

FARA's Field Day (FD) began on Friday, 27 June.  The setup group met at the club storage container, which holds the club's FD materials.  The group loaded up and transported the towers, beams, coils of coax cables, dipoles, tools, tables and related items to the FD location at the Morse Pond School.

Once at the FD location, the primary tasks were to setup the communications trailer and generators, assemble and test three beams, setup three towers with beams and dipole halyards, and run coaxial cable between the towers and the trailer.   The goal was to have the towers ready to raise on Saturday.  Setup went smoothly and was quickly done.

On Saturday morning, the SSB and CW stations were setup in the communications trailer.  The towers were raised.  The generators were started early to allow for testing. The GOTA station was setup under the fixed shelter to be more publicly accessible.  A VHF station, primarily for use for Winlink message traffic, was also setup under the fixed shelter.  In addition, a VHF/UHF station for satellite operation was setup when satellite passes were available.

Operations commenced at 1400 local time and continued until 1400 on Sunday, 29 June.  The SSB station operators made 839 contacts and the CW station operators made 1,439 contacts.  Contacts were made with all US ARRL sections and nine of the fourteen Canadian sections.  Two DX contacts were made via CW.

The GOTA station had one youth operator who made eleven contacts.  Messages were sent via Winlink to the EMA section manager and to ten local and state officials.  Two satellite contacts were also made during FD.

FARA's total contact points, which include a 2X multiplier for CW contacts and another 2X power multiplier for all contacts, are 7,434 points.  We also qualified for bonus points totaling 1,625 points.  FARA's total claimed score is 9,059--a great score.

We had a nice cookout on Saturday with hot dogs, burgers, and sausages.  A sausage, hash browns, and egg breakfast was served on Sunday morning for the overnight crew and anyone else that attended.  Mike, KC1HKW, kept us all well fed and hydrated throughout the FD weekend.

Sunday afternoon, the teardown crew took everything down, packed it into vehicles and transported the equipment to the storage container.  The container was loaded and locked by approximately 1600--a very quick and efficient disassembly operation!

A gallery of photo's taken by Ralph, N1YHS and Larry, W1IZZ can be viewed at this link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rbASMK1z3iH2Eaxx8

Falmouth ARA Field Day 2025 -- All Are Invited to Attend

Amateur Radio Field Day June 28 and 29, 2025 - Will Focus on Training, Public Service, Science and Technology

 
WHO/WHAT: Members of the Falmouth Amateur Radio Association (FARA) will participate in the national amateur radio Field Day exercise, June 28–29 at Morse Pond School in Falmouth, MA.  Since 1933, amateur radio operators across North America have established temporary amateur radio stations in public locations during Field Day to showcase the capabilities of amateur radio. This event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.

WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, June 28 and 29. On Saturday, June 28, from 2PM through Sunday, June 29, at 2PM.

WHERE: Morse Pond School, 323 Jones Road, Falmouth, MA  02540

WHY: Field Day demonstrates how amateur radio creates a reliable, independent communications network. Amateur radio functions independently from the conventional communications or power infrastructure, and can be set up almost anywhere in minutes.   Amateur radio remains one of the best ways for people to learn about electronics, physics, meteorology, and related scientific disciplines.  

For more information about Field Day or amateur radio, contact Lawrence Gray, w1izz@mcphersondigital.com, or visit www.falara.org, FARA’s website.

Soldier Ride Cape Cod 2025

The 14th Falmouth Soldier Ride took place on Friday, June 6th, 2025.  Fifty Wounded Warriors from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan rode from the start of the Shining Sea Bikeway in North Falmouth down to Woods Hole and back. The twenty mile round trip on the bike path allowed lots of room to find a spot to cheer the Warriors on as they rode. 

Three FARA members (Ralph-N1YHS, Mel-K1ELB, and Matt-KB1MLP) manned net control, which was located in the FARA Communications Trailer at North Famouth.  

Eight FARA members (Barry-KB1TLR, Jeremy-WA1JRC, Jay-WB4KYW, Steve-KC1TMJ, Harold-N1ZTV, Phil-KB1DOS. Henry-K1WCC, and Larry-W1IZZ) manned stations located along the Bikeway, providing rider location and status updates.  Henry was assisted by his grandson Sterling acting as scribe.

Community groups were present at the various Bikeway street crossings and at the Woods Hole end of the Bikeway.  Members of Coast Guard Group Woods Hole were also on hand in Woods Hole.  The groups put together colorful displays and cheered the riders as they passed.

West Falmouth	Coast Guard group	Riders arrive in Woods Hole
Riders in Woods Hole