UPDATE: FARA Field Day Container Break-In

UPDATE:

Alan, WM1N, welded up the handle which was cutoff and fixed the "lock protector", so that the lock fits into it.   Thanks, Alan.

The FARA Field Day container stored at the Barnstable County Fairgrounds was recently broken into.  Ralph, N1YHS, discovered the break-in when getting items for the upcoming Winter Field Day event.  He reported the break-in to the Falmouth Police Department.

All of the orange jacketed Belden 89880 coax cable was taken (about 1000 feet), along with the wire  dipole antennas (Looks like 4 in all) and one of the 8 foot, orange fiberglass step ladders.  Nothing else appear to have been taken, but an inventory will be taken soon.

Please be on the look out for orange jacketed coaxial cable for sale.  The cable is unusual, due to the jacket color and the weight/stiffness of the cable.  

If you know of a welder who could weld the cutoff handle back into position, please contact Ralph, N1YHS.

FARA Calendar Update

The 2023 FARA Calendar has been updated.  Some FARA meeting dates have been changed from Thursday evening to Saturday morning.

Please be sure to update any personal calendars with the new meeting dates/times.

2023 First Day Breakfast

Continuing the tradition originally started by Jim Bradbury (sk) of the Barnstable Amateur Radio Club, FARA's held a 2023 First Day breakfast at Persey's Restaurant in Falmouth.  Several FARA members and guests enjoyed the good food and good company.  

Put this event on your calendar for next year.

(Images courtesy of Charlie, K1CB)

FARA First Day Breakfast

Continuing the tradition originally started by Jim Bradbury (sk) of the Barnstable Amateur Radio Club, we will have our FARA First Day Breakfast at Persey's Restaurant in Falmouth at 0830 on January 1st, 2023.  Persey's is located on 40 North Main Street, Falmouth.

I have arranged for 20 guests, but there are usually additional seats available in the restaurant. Parking is behind the hotel, or across the street.  Contact Henry on k1wcc@comcast.net if you are going to attend.

Hope to see you there to wish you a Happy New Year!
Henry K1WCC

December 15 Meeting "Show and Tell" Presentations

Members were invited to show an item or tell a story about how they became interested in Amateur Radio. The following 8 members participated: Ralph N1YHS, Peter W1UU, Jim WA1GPO, Jay KB4KYW, Bill Kramer, Henry K1WCC, Chris WA1CMR and Barry KB1TLER.

Two of the participants shared descriptions of their presentation and images for the FARA website:

Peter Butler, W1UU:

I briefly showed QSL cards I was receiving as a 15 year old Sophomore in High School. The Russians liked to send post cards with a rubber stamp of their call sign of "everyday life". The VR6TC operator was a relative of the original Tom Christian from the novel Mutiny of the Bounty. We had to read that story in high school! I was first licensed as WN1BPW in 1953 at the age of 13.

Ralph Swenson, N1YHS:

Knightkit Space Spanner

My first shortwave radio kit was Knightkit "Space Spanner". I built this when I was around 12 years old and it was a Christmas gift from my grandmother. I enjoyed countless hours of listening for those distant and foreign stations. I graduated up to another Knightkit radio, the "Star Roamer", few years later, around the age of 14, with money I earned mowing lawns that summer. Had lots of fun with that as well.

Popular Mechanics tube radio

I also built a one tube radio during the COVID shutdown, built around a 6J5 tube. This radio was from a 1956 Popular Mechanics, Do It Yourself Encyclopedia volume. It uses AC power to run the filament transformer for the tube and a 45V battery for the plate circuit. I used a 48V battery pack made of 8 LR44 6V batteries as a substitute for the old 45V "B" batteries used back in the day.  Had fun making it, and it actually works quite well!

Cape and Islands ARES Simulated Emergency Test

The Eastern MA Section Amateur Radio Emergency Service conducted an operations exercise to test its capability in establishing communications with stations within its section and outside it under simulated emergency conditions. The operational exercise called “Incoming” tested the ability of several home stations, EOCs (Emergency Operations Centers), possible field sites and other stations to communicate. The exercise attempted to build upon the lessons learned from our past operational exercises. 

The exercise was based on the scenario of the National Winlink ETO (EmComm Training Organization) exercise being held the same day.

Exercise "Incoming" Scenario:

On November 11th, hundreds of asteroid fragments resulting from a distant collision began entering the Earth’s atmosphere and impacting the northern Hemisphere and especially North America. These fragments varied in size from a few meters across to just pebbles. The larger fragments began impacting and causing heavy damage over parts of the US, Canada and Mexico. Several impact explosions in the low kiloton range have occurred in the US. Similar strikes in the ocean have caused localized damaging tsunamis in Puerto Rico and Oahu in HI.

Cape and Islands ARES Exercise Results from Frank, WQ1O: 

"We conducted our ARES SET exercise on Saturday, November 12....Exercise had mixed results, but with very good elements as  well. HF, especially 60m was stellar. We had some 2m VHF noise issues at  our main field site, but operators in surrounding areas provided  assistance to carry out the drill. My thanks to all of our people who  performed well on Saturday."

The photos below are courtesy of Frank, WQ1O.

Nationwide "Operation Incoming" Semi-Annual P2P Drill Results

The Point to Point target stations received 795 messages of all types from stations across the United State and Puerto Rico.  Messages for the drill were the FSR (Field Situation Report) and the ICS213 (General Message) with an optional image.  The results 

  Total FSR messages received: 360, images: 0

  Total ICS messages received: 361, images: 204

The connections diagram below illustrates the national coverage of the exercise.  Red markers indicate a Target(receiving) station and blue markers indicate a Field (sending station).

If you are interested in more information re: Cape and Islands ARES, contact Frank, WQ1O on wq1o at comcast.net

If you are interested in the nationwide Winlink/VARA-HF exercises, see https://emcomm-training.groups.io/g/main/topics for information.

FARA Fest 2022

From Ralph, N1YHS:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that helped out with FARA Fest yesterday, and those who worked behind the scenes as well. Also, a big thank you to Don (N1JCT), for working with the school, securing the rooms and helping with the arrangements. 

It was a great day, and another great success! Almost every table was sold and nearly 100 people came through the door to check out all the goods. Lots of sales, and the vendors were all happy with the event.

The VE Session was busy, with two of the students from our recent Tech Class retesting and passing their Technician license, and one of our Tech Class students who passed their Tech at the class, upgraded to General! Thanks again to the VE’s who took the time to support the event.

We could not have done it without everyone’s help.

 THANK YOU ALL!!!

Ralph, N1YHS
Acting President, FARA