The Worcester Area VE Team will be holding an amateur radio test session for all license classes: at Kaven Hall, Room 116, Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 6:30 PM.

If you have never registered with the FCC's ULS system and received a FRN number, please read the notice in the Read More link below.

We will try to provide a talk-in on the 145.310 / 449.025 W1WPI repeater. It is recommended that if you are not familiar with the WPI campus that you print out and bring with you the campus map.

Please bring:

• AN ORIGINAL AND A PHOTOCOPY of your current license and any CSCEs or other paperwork you are submitting
  
• A basic calculator
  
• Two forms of state acceptable ID (one must be a picture ID)
  
• $15 exam fee (if check, payable to "ARRL VEC")
  
• Pen or pencil

The photocopies of your paperwork are very important as we must submit a copy of your records to the ARRL VEC if you are successful.

NOTICE ABOUT PRIVACY CONCERNS - FCC REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

Some amateurs have been concerned over the FCC's requirement for your Social Security Number (SSN). The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, Public Law 104-134, requires all federal agencies to collect Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) from all persons doing business with the agency. This includes all applicants and holders of FCC licenses. For an individual, your TIN is your SSN.

It is suggested that all applicants register in the FCC's Universal Licensing System to obtain an FCC Registration Number (FRN) prior to attending a VE session. When you register for an FRN, your SSN will not be disclosed to the public and it must be given only once. You may then use your FRN in place of your SSN on all future applications, including the Form 605 you will complete at the VE session. The Commission has taken several steps to ensure the privacy of your SSN. Electronic registration on the Internet is accomplished using the FCC's secure Web server.

To register for an FRN, go to http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls and click on REGISTER. Once you obtain your FRN, write it down and bring it with you to the VE session. Be sure to keep a record of your FRN and password for future use. If you do not register before the VE session, you will be required to provide your SSN on Form 605 at the VE session in order for your application to be processed.

The next WECT Quarterly Meeting will be on Wednesday, November 3 at 7:00 PM in Meeting Room B at 50 Skyline Drive.

We will discuss a variety of items that the Board and Officers have been working on, including the new comm plan and net format, improvements done to the radio room, and details of upcoming training and events.

For the main presentation, Director of Worcester Emergency Management and Emergency Communications Dave Clemons will be discussing Field Comm 30 - the city's 2004 Freightliner Field Communications Unit. Dave will be telling us all about what the vehicle is, how it is utilized, what its features are and the like. As long as the vehicle has not been activated that night, it will also be brought on site and after the presentation Dave will give us a brief guided tour.

No RSVP is required. Hope to see everyone there!

Image courtesy of MassFireTrucks.com. Click here for a larger view.

This coming Monday, WECT will be running some major frequency tests during the Worcester Emergency Net at 8:00 PM. We need as many people as possible to check into the net to test out a few frequencies of interest to us:

- 146.925 MHz Worcester repeater, negative offset, PL 100.0
- 147.540 MHz simplex, transmit only PL 123.0
- 449.875 MHz Worcester repeater, negative offset, PL 103.5
- 446.100 MHz simplex, transmit only PL 123.0

THE NET WILL START ON THE 146.925 WORCESTER REPEATER AT 8:00 PM THIS MONDAY NIGHT. We will proceed with traffic, announcements and other net business on the 925 machine, and then start to QSY to the above frequencies, taking and giving signal reports as we go. We need as many people as possible to check into the net and provide signal reports to and from the radio room in Worcester in order to test out the viability of these frequencies for our on-going use. Full instructions will be given during the net itself, but participants should be prepared to operate on each of the frequencies listed above and possibly others.

The background to this is that the board has decided that it is best to have 4 frequencies for our team's local use - one simplex and one repeater on each of the 2M and 440 bands. This covers all the bases and scenarios, and allows us to use the right tool for the right job given each situation. The previous 2M simplex frequency that we used (147.525) is now occupied by an EchoLink node in Springfield, which would provide a lot of interference to our operations if we tried to go back there. We receive this node at S7 at the radio room. So, this basically forces us to find a new simplex frequency along with the other 3 that we need to fill out the comm plan.

Additionally, since it will also be the first Monday of October, the state RACES nets will run. In our area, it is on the 146.970 Paxton repeater at 7:15 PM. Please consider checking into it as well.

WECT Member Andy Garabedian KB1JRX is looking for a couple of people for communication help for the Grafton 275th Parade on Sunday October 3rd from 1 to 5 PM.

For more information on the parade, check their website. The parade route is also on their website.

To sign up or for further information, email Andy.

The Worcester Area VE Team will be holding an amateur radio test session for all license classes: at Kaven Hall, Room 116, Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 6:30 PM. This is a special session requested by the WPI Wireless Association, but it is open to the general public, and all exam elements will be offered.

If you have never registered with the FCC's ULS system and received a FRN number, please read the notice in the Read More link below.

We will try to provide a talk-in on the 145.310 / 449.025 W1WPI repeater. It is recommended that if you are not familiar with the WPI campus that you print out and bring with you the campus map.

Please bring:

• AN ORIGINAL AND A PHOTOCOPY of your current license and any CSCEs or other paperwork you are submitting
  
• A basic calculator
  
• Two forms of state acceptable ID (one must be a picture ID)
  
• $15 exam fee (if check, payable to "ARRL VEC")
  
• Pen or pencil

The photocopies of your paperwork are very important as we must submit a copy of your records to the ARRL VEC if you are successful.

NOTICE ABOUT PRIVACY CONCERNS - FCC REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

Some amateurs have been concerned over the FCC's requirement for your Social Security Number (SSN). The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, Public Law 104-134, requires all federal agencies to collect Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) from all persons doing business with the agency. This includes all applicants and holders of FCC licenses. For an individual, your TIN is your SSN.

It is suggested that all applicants register in the FCC's Universal Licensing System to obtain an FCC Registration Number (FRN) prior to attending a VE session. When you register for an FRN, your SSN will not be disclosed to the public and it must be given only once. You may then use your FRN in place of your SSN on all future applications, including the Form 605 you will complete at the VE session. The Commission has taken several steps to ensure the privacy of your SSN. Electronic registration on the Internet is accomplished using the FCC's secure Web server.

To register for an FRN, go to http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls and click on REGISTER. Once you obtain your FRN, write it down and bring it with you to the VE session. Be sure to keep a record of your FRN and password for future use. If you do not register before the VE session, you will be required to provide your SSN on Form 605 at the VE session in order for your application to be processed.

WMA ARES Section Emergency Coordinator and WECT Secretary John Ruggiero N2YHK is looking assistance with this season's Title 9 Women Only Sprint Triathlon in Hopkinton at the Hopkinton State Park on Sunday, September 12 from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Assignments will vary but will generally include various checkpoints along the route, start and finish line, and shadowing the triathlon coordinators. Times involved with each of the assignments will vary as well. Volunteers will receive tickets for a professionally catered BBQ lunch, as well as a technical fabric t-shirts, instead of cotton. The ham radio team will also be provided with our own 10x10 tent to coordinate our efforts. More details on the triathlons are available on the Max Performance website.

For more details on the amateur radio assignments or to sign up contact John N2YHK, and let John know if you have UHF equipment with DCS / DPL when you sign up.

WTAG's Dave Russell, host of the station's Saturday Morning News program, interviewed Gil Hayes, WK1H in regards our team, our relationship with WEMD and MEMA, local and state amateur radio emcomms, and amateur radio in general. The interview aired on WTAG's AM 580 and FM 94.9 stations during the August 7, 2010 edition of the program at around 6:45 AM.

Dave Russell and WTAG have graciously provided us with a copy of the interview file on MP3, which can be downloaded here.

Thanks to all those that took part in the hurricane drill last night, both at 50 Skyline Drive and those that checked in and participated on various nets from home. The drill was not only a good exercise for operators to keep their own emergency communications operating skills sharp, but it also provides the state's RACES, ARES and Skywarn officials the chance to test out and make improvements to the state's amateur radio emergency communications plan. It is likely that some improvements will be made based off of the results of last night's drill.

Only one last thing to ask of all those that participated, and that would be any review notes and reports. If you haven't already done so, please send your review notes, reports, comments or concern about last night's drill to John N2YHK.