WECT member and WMA ARES Section Emergency Coordinator John Ruggiero N2YHK is looking for about a dozen hams to provide communications assistance for the Title 9 Women's Only Triathlon in Hopkinton on Sunday, September 13th.

This event is sold out, so it will be busy. It occurs from about 7am to Noon (some assignments should secure as early as 9:30am, and most by 11am). It will be held in Hopkinton State Park and includes a swim, bike and run that travels through Hopkinton, Southboro and Ashland.

If you are interested in participating, please send John an email and let him know if you have UHF equipment with DCS / DPL.

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, July 16, 2015 at 6:30 PM. The session is open to the general public.

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.

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.

Any questions regarding this session can be directed to @.

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 John Ruggiero N2YHK is looking assistance with this season's Massachusetts State Triathlon in Winchendon at the Lake Dennison Recreation Area on Sunday, July 12 from 7:00 AM to 1:00 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. More details on the triathlons are available on the Max Performance website.

This is an Olympic Distance Triathlon, with a 0.9 mi swim, 22 mi bike and 6.2 mi run. Registration often fills up. The expanded course will continue, down into the centers of Gardner and Baldwinville. This means our communications plan will involve using a variety of systems on both 2m and 70cm, including deploying portable repeater systems.

For more details on the amateur radio assignments or to sign up please send email to our events coordination email address and let us know if you have UHF equipment with DCS / DPL capabilities.

The Governor of Massachusetts, as well as the Massachusetts State Senate, have proclaimed this weekend Amateur Radio Weekend in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Thanks to WMA Section Manager Ed Emco, W1KT, for his work in making this happen.

Check out WECT's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/WorcEmCommTeam for copies of the proclamations.

Field Day is on its way! Mark your calendars for June 27 and 28, 2015.

ARRL Field Day is the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. Each year over 35,000 amateurs gather with their clubs, friends or simply by themselves to operate. On Field Day the Worcester Emergency Communications Team will work as many other stations as possible and we will learn and practice operating in abnormal situations in less than optimal conditions. Our event will be at the National Guard Building at 50 Skyline Drive in Worcester.

Our open house for the general public will be from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Saturday June 27. If you don't have an amateur radio license, please feel free to come up at that time to check out our team, station, and operation. You'll even have the opportunity to get on the air and make some contacts yourself! No sign up is required for people that don't have an amateur radio license, just come up and we'll be happy to show you around!

Director Rich Fiske from Worcester Emergency Management will be presenting a demonstration of their radio tower trailer at 1:00 PM on Saturday. He and his department will then be helping us use the trailer to deploy some of our FD antennas, up in the front parking lot. Mr. Fiske's demo will also double as our education bonus for our Field Day scoring. The trailer will be present for the entire Field Day operational period.

We will also be holding an amateur radio exam session, open to the public, at 4:30 PM on Saturday. Take the test and become a ham, or upgrade your existing license!

If you are an amateur radio licensee (regardless if you are a member of WECT or not) and would like to participate in our Field Day, please sign up using the online form. We are planning a BBQ dinner for our radio operators Saturday evening at 6:30 PM for $10/person and a breakfast Sunday morning at 8:30 AM for $6/person.

More info on the Field Day info page or email Field Day Event Coordinators Brad Miller KB1TDP and Gil Hayes WK1H.

See you at Field Day!

UPDATE: Congrats to our winners, KC1COP (1st Prize) and N2YHK (2nd Prize)!

We're going to run an early-bird Field Day sign-up raffle!

Raffle Rules:

• The raffle is completely free.
  
• All participants whom have signed up for WECT's Field Day by end of day May 31 will be automatically enrolled in the raffle. This is the only way to enroll into the raffle.
  
• Only amateur radio operators are eligible ​for the raffle. However, entrants do not need to be WECT members.
  
• Winners will be chosen randomly and notified sometime during the day June 1.
  
• Winners must notify the Field Day Event Coordinators of their selection of prize no later than end of day June 7 or forfeit their prize to another winner selected at random.
  
• Winners must collect their prize at our Field Day event.
  
• If a winner doesn't show up to our Field Day, they forfeit their prize to another winner selected at random.

First Place:
An ARRL Field Day 2015 T-Shirt in the size and color of the winner's choosing. They are available in either Cardinal Red or Ice Gray.

Second Place:
The winner's choice of either an ARRL Field Day 2015 hat or mug.

More details on our Field Day is available on our Field Day Info page or sign up using the online Field Day Signup Form.

Thanks and 73,
Brad Miller KB1TDP
Gil Hayes WK1H
WECT Field Day 2015 Event Coordinators

WMA ARES Section Emergency Coordinator and WECT Member John Ruggiero N2YHK is looking for amateur radio assistance with the New England Season Opener Triathlon at the Hopkinton State Park on Sunday, May 10 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. 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.

WECT Member Andy Garabedian KB1JRX is looking for about 6 - 8 amateur radio ops to assist with the Grafton Gazebo 5 Mile Road Race on Saturday, May 2 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

Ops will need to have a dual band HT capable of DCS / DPL with enough battery power to last the event. Assignments will include checkpoints and water stops along the route, ambulance, and shadowing officials. This is a rain or shine event, so all volunteers must dress appropriately for the weather the day of the event.

For more information or to sign up, contact Andy KB1JRX, and let him know if you have a dual band HT capable of DCS / DPL.