FARA Communications Support for Falmouth Road Race

This year was the 50th anniversary of the Falmouth Road Race.   The Falmouth Road Race was established in 1973 and has become one of the premier running events of the summer season. Each year the race draws an international field of Olympians, elite, and recreational runners out to enjoy the iconic 7-mile seaside course.   In 2022, there were 10,000 runners in the race.

Falmouth Amateur Radio Association (FARA) once again provided communication support for the race.  Barry, KB1TLR coordinated a team of 28 amateur radio operators.  These volunteer operators covered the various water stops and medical tents, as well as two public information tents.

FARA's new communication trailer served as net control, stationed at the band shell in Marina Park.

The Falmouth Road Race is one of many public events supported by FARA volunteers throughout the year.  The Cape Cod Marathon in early October is next.

(The images below were supplied by K1MUU, K1VJ, N1ZTV, WA1CMR, and WQ1O.)

FARA Provides Communication Support for MS Walk

FARA members Ralph, N1YHS, Henry, K1WCC, Phil, KB1DOS, Chris, WA1CMR and Tom, N1TB helped provide communications for the Falmouth section of the MS Walk on Saturday. It was a hot but beautiful day along the Shining Sea Bikeway for the many walkers who participated. 

Next up-The Cape Cod Marathon. These events give local hams an opportunity to use their skills and equipment for good causes. 

(Henry Brown, K1WCC)

Volunteers Needed for Big E Ham Booth

The Big E is coming up fast.  The first day is Friday, September 16th. As of right now,  there are 12 clubs and around 110 people signed up to staff the ham radio booth. We are looking for a few more volunteers to help us lock down the schedule. 

Are you available on any of these dates and times?

Each day is broken into two sessions. The first runs 9:30 am through 4 :00 pm and the second runs 3:30 pm through 10:00 pm. The overlap is to help the new arrivals for the 2nd session learn what had been working during the first session so they could continue. The sessions are named Session 1 and Session 2.

Here is where we need volunteers as of right now:

Monday, Sept 19, session 1 - need 2 people

Monday, Sept 19, session 2 - need 3 people

Tuesday, Sept 20, session 2 - need 3 people

Sunday, Sept 25, session 2 - need 3 people

Tuesday, Sept 27, session 2 - need 4 people

Friday, Sept 30, session 2 - need 3 people

Saturday, Oct 1, session 1 - needs 1 person

Sunday, Oct 2 (Final Day), session 1 - needs 2 people

Sunday, Oct 2 (Final session), session 2 - needs 2 people 

Are you available to help? If yes, please volunteer or add a session to what you have already volunteered for.

As a reminder, everyone that volunteers gets their Big E fairgrounds parking reimbursed and their admission reimbursed (or free tickets provided to them). 

Sign up here:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9_iH1ZucHuCFCNwreEuVPWnmLOT5D_s92vHPuEUASS78Tew/viewform

Learn more here:  https://nediv.arrl.org/project-big-e

I hope you are available to help us lock in these last few days of the schedule for the ham radio booth.

Thank you and 73,

Larry, W1AST

Technician License in a Weekend Class, October 21-23

Technician Class License Course

Dates:  Next Class - October 21, 6PM to 9PM, October 22, 8AM to 5PM, October 23, 8AM to 2PM, with the examination in the afternoon.

Schedule:  October 21, 6PM to 9PM, October 22, 8AM to 5PM, October 23, 8AM to 2PM

Exam: October 23 in the afternoon (cost included in course fee)

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

Text: Included in course fee

Course Fee: $50.00

The course fee includes the following:

1) Fifteen hours of classroom instruction 

2) ARRL Course text

3) Online test practice and tutoring subscription

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 ham radio flea market

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 at aol.com for further information.

Volunteers Needed to Work the Big E Ham Booth

FROM: Larry Krainson - W1AST:

Right now the main concern is manning the Big E Ham booth. 

I've been speaking with clubs in all states and most have not yet committed to a day. Here is what is open, whether with a club or group or friends or by yourself:

• Military Appreciation Day, Sept 16 (any Vets who are hams? This is the day for you!)
• Maine Day, Sept 17
• Rhode Island Day, Sept 20
• Shift 2 (3:30-10pm) on Massachusetts Day, Sept 22
• New Hampshire Day, Sept 23
• Vermont Day, Sept 24
• Shift 2 (3:30-10pm) on Sept 25
• Sept 27
• Sept 28
• Sept 29
• Sept 30
• Oct 1
• Oct 2

If your club is a SSC aka Special Service Club and holds classes (A SSC requirement), being a part of this booth and contributing time to man it is of benefit to your clubs. from the signups, you'll get a distribution list of people near your club location for future classes and new hams that will help your club grow.

The booth can offer a reimbursement of on Big E grounds parking fees and admission fees which could save each person $25.

Will you help your club grow?

Will you help Ham Radio in New England Grow?

Make a difference and help to man the Ham Radio Booth at the Big E.

If your club has a day in mind, contact me direct and I'll lock in a scheduled session or day for you without going through the scheduling link below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9_iH1ZucHuCFCNwreEuVPWnmLOT5D_s92vHPuEUASS78Tew/viewform

Thank you for your participation. Together we can grow ham radio and clubs in New England!

--
Larry Krainson - W1AST

ARRL WMA ACC

HCRA President - HCRA.org 

Hampden County MA (CT River Valley area of MA)

13 Colonies MA State Manager (K2H) - Ask to be an op!

Proud Member of: ARRL, FCARC, BARS & YCCC

Project Big E Organizer

w1ast@arrl.org

CERT Training Program Begins September 27

The Barnstable County Sheriff’s office is accepting applications for its next Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training program which begins September 27, 2022.

The CERT program is taught by emergency personnel to train residents, community organizations or workplaces in basic response skills. CERT members are then integrated into emergency response capability for their area so that if a disastrous event overwhelms or delays the community’s professional response, CERT members can assist by applying the basic response and organizational skills that they learned during training.  CERT volunteers also assist at non-emergency events on Cape Cod including road races and festivals.

Volunteers must be at least 16 years old and pass a CORI check to be part of the program.

Training classes will be held on consecutive Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 starting September 27, 2022 until November 1, 2022 at the Falmouth Fire & Rescue Headquarters, 399 Main Street in Falmouth.  All classes are free and class size is limited to 25.

For more information and an application to be part of this program go to:

Emergency Management and Response Programs – Barnstable County Sheriff's Office (bsheriff.net)

For any questions, call or email Joseph Gordon, BCSO Emergency Management Director at (508) 563-4319 or jgordon@bsheriff.net

Upper Cape Cod ARES - Exercise Operation Whirlwind

FARA Upper Cape ARES members manned the Upper Cape Field Site, located at Falmouth Hospital, during the recent Cape Cod AREA exercise "Operation Whirlwind".  The exercise is timed to provide preparation for the upcoming hurricane season.

Radio operations were conducted on 80 meter and 60 meter SSB, VHF-FM simplex, NTS messaging via VHF, Winlink SKYWARN and IC-213 messaging via VHF and HF,  and check-in via Echolink using node 9123.

Photographs from the Upper Cape Field Site are shown below: (photographs courtesy of Charlie, K1CB, and Gene, KX1C)